PLANS to build four homes on green fields in St Weonards have been submitted to Herefordshire planners.

The proposed site, which is currently in agricultural use, is located off the A466, opposite the village Post Office and comprises a parcel of land south of Church Hill, with an area of 0.24 hectares.

One of the four detached dwellings would be afforded a double garage, with the remainder of properties afforded two private parking spaces each.

All of the properties will provide small family homes, each with three bedrooms and would use the existing access along with a new proposed access off the unclassified road.

The applicant, Brian Whistance, sought advice from the local planning authority and subsequently reduced his plans to only build in the northern field following the planners’ advice who said that in principle that development on this parcel of land would be considered acceptable for four dwellings, however landscape and design issues would need to be carefully considered.

Whilst the village, at present, has very minimal built form, the site is adjacent and well located to key infrastructure in the form of the Post Office/shop, Primary School, Church and local bus stops.

The agent, HDP Architecture, points out that there are no brownfield sites located in the village of St Weonards and therefore this is not a realistic possibility, and any development must therefore be directed to suitable greenfield sites.

The agent adds that proposed development has been designed to ensure it is in keeping and sympathetic to the surrounding character of St Weonards and surrounding landscape.

The dwellings will be constructed using local stone and slate as well as incorporating the area’s design details into created dwellings that are slightly different to each other to provide more variety on the site and to help create a positive relation to the sloping site.

The typical landscape character of St Weonards is generally sandstone farmlands with dispersed farmsteads and clustered settlement patterns.

Hedgerow structures will be preserved around the site to preserve the visual unit of the area.

The agent concluded that this small development would help support the rural economy and its local services and facilities and added: “The site would form an appropriate location in relation to the main built form of the settlement and it is of a comparable density.”

Comments on the application, number P262210/F, can be made via Herefordshire Council’s planning portal until Thursday, October 8.

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