Bid for 110 homes on village fields is denied
INSPECTOR HAS FINAL SAY AS DEVELOPER’S PLAN THROWN OUT
A DEVELOPER’S bid to build up to 110 homes on fields described as the “green lung” of a village has failed at appeal.
Harrow Estates hoped to build the houses on green-wedge land east of The Common, in Barwell, but took its case to the planning inspector after Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council failed to make a decision about the application within the 13-week time limit.
But planning inspector Hayley Butcher said in her judgement that the adverse effects of the scheme would “significantly and demonstrably” outweigh any benefits.
Her ruling was handed down at the end of March, but has come to light now following the council officially categorising the application as “decided”.
The application was submitted in December 2021 for nine fields and paddocks described by the council in appeal documents as “gently sloping grass”.
The site is in the green wedge for Hinckley, Barwell, Earl Shilton and Burbage, which aims to maintain the countryside between the cluster of urban areas, but is also used for agriculture and recreation.
According to the plans, a miniproviding mum of 22 homes would have been provided for affordable housing, and there would have been a new access road, public spaces and a play area.
Planning officers confirmed that had the application not been taken to appeal, they would have refused planning permission for its impact on the countryside and the green wedge, for the possibility that it could have a “severe” impact on local roads, and for its potential impact on biodiversity and protected wildlife.
During a public consultation for the plans, 46 residents sent in objections giving almost 20 different concerns, including road safety and the loss of the countryside.
Harrow Estates had promised to keep some of the paddocks and also to plant woodland copses to mitigate the impact on the green wedge.
Planning documents submitted on behalf of the company said: “These elements of native planting will all combine to provide a comprehensive whole that serves to visually and physically contain the site in a manner consistent with local landscape character.”
But the inspector said in her ruling: “I find that the proposed development would result in harmful visual impacts to the roads and footpaths immediately surrounding the site, resulting in an overall erosion of this green, open, and rural edge to Barwell.
“In addition to this I have found some limited harm to highway safety and the local road network.”
The council said the land provides a “green lung” upon the edge of Barwell and that it was an important contribution towards the quality of life for residents, adding: “It is considered that residential development of this site would have a harmful impact upon both the local and wider landscape character of the green wedge and would result in an incompatible use within the green wedge and a countryside location.”
The inspector added there were benefits to the application, including the addition of 110 houses for the borough and the proposed amount of affordable housing.
During the inquiry, the developer said they would be willing to reduce the number of houses, a total of “up to 95” homes, but this did not stop the inspector from ruling against the application.
The inspector’s judgement concluded: “Taking these points together, I find that the adverse effects would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
“I find that planning permission should be refused.”
The land was subject to a previous planning application by Gladman Developments for 185 houses, which was refused by the council and subsequently went to appeal.
In 2018, an inspector dismissed the appeal, saying the application would “significantly erode the function of coalescence, visual appearance and the green lung element afforded by this site”.
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