Yahoo News 'Unreasonably big' homes bid for village thrown out
Plans to build 44 homes in rural Gloucestershire have been rejected. Seven Capital Plc wanted permission to develop more than six acres of land off Church Road in Longhope.
Their scheme was considered by Forest of Dean District Council’s development management committee today (June 11). Officers recommended refusing planning permission after raising several concerns over the scheme.
The proposal sought outline permission for the development which would include access onto the site. And included a 40 per cent affordable housing contribution.
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But some 37 villagers objected to the proposals along with Longhope Parish Council who said the scheme was contrary to planning policies, would have been outside the settlement boundary and that there is a lack of facilities in the village.
District officers raised nine different reasons why the proposals should be rejected. These included concerns the new estate constituted unsustainable development in the open countryside, its scale and the topography of the site would erode the open rural character of the area and it would harm the setting a the grade II listed Dam Barn Cottage and Cruck House.
They also said it would have caused considerable harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area and the application failed to demonstrate that the site could be developed without causing an unacceptable impact upon the residential amenity of existing and future residents due to overlooking.
Peter Lewis, who spoke on behalf of many Longhope residents who objected to the plans, said the proposal “falls outside the settlement boundary”. “This should be enough for you to reject the application,” he said.
He also said the proposal was unreasonably big for the village.
Giles Brockbank, planning agent speaking in favour of the plans, asked for the application to be deferred in order to address the concerns raised. He said it was positive no objections had been raised by the local flood authority, the environmental health officer on noise grounds, and the highways authority.
“We believe Longhope is well positioned to other well positioned settlements such as Mitcheldean, Cinderford and Gloucester and has good connections to them. The village has a good range of services to support further growth such as village shop, post office, bakery, primary school, church; they are all within a 15 minute walk of the site and can be accessed by a footway on Church Road.”
He said they acknowledge it is outside the settlement boundary but policies do not necessarily preclude development there.
Ward Councillor John Francis (I, Longhope and Huntley) spoke against the proposals and called on the committee to refuse permission. “The scale of it is completely out of context to the ribbon of development that exists along the bottom of Church Road," he said.
He said the topography of the land actually makes the rake and height of the housing overlooking the whole road. “I think it’s detrimental to the area.”
The committee voted unanimously to reject the proposals in line with the officers’ recommendation.
