A PLANNING application has been submitted for the demolition of a redundant barn at the Lea and constructing a Well-Being Retreat in its place.

The barn is located on land adjoining Hanbury House in the village using a similar footprint to minimise its visual effects upon the site and views of the surrounding countryside.

This barn already has planning permission for it to be convert into one, three bedroom and one, two-bedroom dwelling.

The new building would be L-shaped. Its main, one-and-a-half storey body housing the communal facilities and therapeutic areas would be under a dual-pitched roof with a single storey range extending northwards towards Hanbury House accommodating the six bedrooms.

The building would be ‘dug into’ the site ensuring its maximum ridge height would not exceed materially that of the existing barn or neighbouring Hanbury House.

It is proposed that the building would be served by a modest-sized car park and covered cycle storage linked to the existing vehicular access and drive to be shared with residential Hanbury House.

The proposal includes the creation of a large area of wildflower with trees located between the proposed car park and the A40 frontage. There would also be extensive lengths of new and replacement, mixed species hedgerows along the site boundaries in particular along the road frontage.

Additionally, a new pond would be created to the east of the site for landscape, ecological and drainage purposes.

The proposed Well-Being Retreat would be run by Wigwam Wellbeing Limited and its founder Janet Wyatt, who has extensive professional experience gained as an NHS mental nurse and latterly as the owner and manager of four care homes in the West Midlands run by a different company.

These care homes specialise in the care of younger people with dementia. There is a growing need to provide for people in this age group and a growing awareness, supported by recent relevant research, that diet and lifestyle choices have a significant impact on residents’ health and possibly a contributary effect on residents’ illnesses.

The Retreat would be staffed by Ms Wyatt as manager, along with two Well-Being health coaches, two housekeepers and a part-time cook and a part-time Gardener.

Guests will be encouraged to participate in exercise including walking, creative activities, group discussions, education in health lifestyles and constructive ‘down time’ activities.

Comments can be made on the application, number P253330/F via Herefordshire Council’s planning portal until Monday, January 26.

For more information about planning applications in your area visit publicnoticeportal.uk.