Plans to demolish a garage block at Bennetts Lane in Walcot and build a two-bed house on the site have been refused by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The outline application submitted by Danforth Build West Ltd had prompted more than a dozen letters of objection.
A statement submitted with the application described it as “a thoughtful composition that respects the past while looking to the future”.
Council planners said the garages are not listed and had no objection to their demolition as they have no architectural or historic interest and would improve the look of the area.
However, they refused the plans for five reasons.
They said the house would look out of place and harm nearby Grade II listed Dover Place, the character and appearance of the conservation area, and the “special qualities” of Bath as a World Heritage Site.
They said the applicant had not shown a suitable drainage strategy, nor that the development could avoid harm to trees.
They also had concerns about the potential impact on wildlife and ecology.
