Village homes bid will go to appeal

COUNCIL REJECTED SCHEME AS HARMFUL TO RURAL CHARACTER

PLANS to build eight homes on the edge of a village will be the subject of an appeal.

Mr J S Minhas is challenging Harborough District Council’s decision to refuse planning permission to build in Church Langton.

He wants to a develop a site off Church Causeway. The planning authority ruled the scheme would “harm the rural character of the area”.

In his submissions to the committee, the developer argued the scheme would be a “natural extension to the village to meet housing needs” in the area.

He also cited the precedent set by a previously approved plan to build 20 homes on farmland to the other side of Church Causeway.

He said his plans would help meet the council’s housing distribution target of providing 30 homes across the two villages.

Members of the planning committee, however, followed the advice of officers in turning down the application.

In the decision notice, the council said the proposal did “not meet any of the exceptions” that would allow houses to be built on land classed as countryside.

The notice said: “The proposed development, by virtue of its siting, scale and design, would harm the rural character of the area and would harm the setting of the adjacent Conservation Area and public right of way.

“The public benefits of the proposal do not outweigh the harm identified.”

The appeal will be decided by an exchange of written statements by the parties and a site visit by an inspector.

The appeal documents are available to view on the Harborough District Council website planning portal. The reference is APP/ F2415/W/22/3300733.

Members of the public can still have their say on the plans by writing to the Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/09, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.

Representations need to be received by September 1 to be considered by the inspector.

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