A planning application to build ten houses in Bromsash has been refused by Herefordshire County Council.

The applicants, Mr and Mrs Green, had applied to build the homes on agricultural land, adjacent to Hazelrigg, in Bromsash, near Ross-on-Wye.

The application was refused for a number of reasons. Simon Withers, the Development Manager stated that the proposed houses would have an “unacceptable detrimental impact on the setting of Bromsash and the wider rural setting and landscape.”

He added that a substantial amount of hedgerow would have to be removed, which he said would “have a significant impact upon the character and appearance of the site and surroundings.”

Concerns were also raised about the potential risk to highway safety, as the planning proposal did not promote safe pedestrian links, or indicate alternative modes of transport, other than the private car.

It the decision notice, it was also stated that:?“The proposal represents unsustainable development through the development as a greenfield site and highest grade agricultural land in a location where the indicative housing supply target has demonstratably been met, and furthermore, this position also applies to the adjoining parishes.”

It was said that the proposal would have resulted in harm, individually and cumulatively, to the social cohesion and wellbeing of Bromsash through overdevelopment and an unsustainable level of growth.