Plans to develop one of the county's first bungalows designed to enable people with high levels of disability and neurological illness to live independently, with technology based aids, have been given the go ahead by the Planning Inspectorate despite opposition from local residents and Councillors.

The bungalow will be erected at the rear of Greytree Lodge and fulfills the long standing vision of former South Herefordshire District and Ross Town Councillor John White who owns the site. It will be developed in consultation with officers of the Herefordshire Council and the institute of Ageing and Mental Health at Staffordshire University.

An application for costs against the Council for their refusal of the application was also upheld.

John White, who is now Executive Director of PISCESwm, a Community Interest Company based in Wolverhampton told the Ross Gazette of his mixed emotions on hearing the result.

"Obviously we are delighted that, at last, we can develop a property which can make a genuine contribution to the challenge of an ageing population and meet the needs of people for whom institutional care may otherwise be their only option. On the negative side we feel angry that the council tax payers will have to meet the costs of the appeal.

Councillor Phil Cutter, one of the local councillors who originally voted against the proposal told the Ross Gazette:?"There were a tremendous amount of objections from local people and we were asked to put their case. The outcome was that the committee refused the application. But of course everyone refused has the right of appeal and in this case it was successful."