WALFORD resident Adam Martin has spoken out over his frustration after Herefordshire planners refused to grant planning permission for a self-build property within the curtilage of his home.

Mr Marri claims that Herefordshire Council planning officers focused almost entirely on phosphate and drainage issues rather than the intricacies of a project aimed at providing a home for his own family’s personal occupation rather than commercial development.

The issue centres around the site’s location, which is within flood zone three – deemed to have a one per cent or greater annual probability of fluvial flooding – which means that conventual package treatment plants and drainage fields would not be appropriate for this development.

As a result, this application relied on a sealed cesspit system with waste being removed periodically by a licensed specialist operating within the regulations for waste management.

Mr Martin argued that during extensive discussions with the local authority he pointed out that the proposal wouldn’t be discharging to the ground or into the watercourse and concluded that using a licenced waste contractor was the best way forward.

However, the planning decision notice suggests that within the catchment of the River Wye Special Area of Conservation a sealed cesspit system may now be incapable of satisfying the habitat regulations, regardless of the specific management arrangements proposed.

Mr Martin said: “This ruling effectively creates a blanket restriction on otherwise acceptable self-build developments in locations where mains drainage is unavailable and conventional drainage systems are unsuitable.

“The wider implication of this decision is potentially significant because large parts of rural Herefordshire are not connected to mains drainage infrastructure.

“If Herefordshire Council’s interpretation is correct it could mean that new residential development within the River Wye’s catchment area if effectively prevented, regardless of whether a sealed and professionally managed containment system is proposed.

“Despite this the application was ultimately refused on the basis that the local authority could not conclude with sufficient certainty that the proposal would avoid potential combination phosphate effect on the River Wye.”

The planning application proposed a single detached dwelling with associated works within the curtilage of Walford Cottage, a stone-built property of mid-19th century origin, and that the proposed dwelling had been designed to sit comfortably within the proposed site.

The proposed dwelling would be one-and-half storeys high and would be constructed of locally sourced stonework with cream-white render, reflecting the area's character and materiality.

Mr Martin concluded: “This was never going to be a commercial development as it was simply an attempt to build a home using what I believed was the safest and most environmentally controlled drainage solution for the site.

“I will probably appeal Herefordshire Council’s decision not to allow my plans to go ahead in due course.”

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Herefordshire planners refused the application because the site lies largely within a flood zone and that the proposed septic tank and associated drainage was not considered to be a compliant solution as if unmitigated, it would have a significant effect on water quality of the River Wye.