A plan to replace a bungalow in a Herefordshire town with a block of 53 retirement flats will be decided on next week.
Proposed by McCarthy & Stone Retirement Lifestyles, the three- and four-storey building would consist of 30 one-bedroom and 23 two-bedroom flats, accessed from the Homend immediately north of Ledbury town centre.
The developer has claimed the scheme would not be financially viable if a proportion of the flats were to be sold under affordable terms, or if it had to pay into supporting local infrastructure – claims backed in a report prepared for the Government’s Valuation Office Agency.
RELATED NEWS:
- Farming couple learn fate of new house plan near Much Marcle
- Details emerge of new care home planned for Leominster
- Cut in speed limit planned on Ledbury bypass
The town council has objected that without an affordable element, the scheme “will do nothing to help the desperate need for close-to-town housing for the less well-off in Ledbury, who have the greatest need for retirement-type accommodation”.
Instead, “it is very likely that few of the apartments will be occupied by Ledbury residents”, contrary to the town’s development plan, the town councillors pointed out.
OTHER NEWS:
- Michael Gove steps in to enable solar farm at Acton Beauchamp
- Bromyard could finally get new 120-home estate
- Herefordshire LibDems step in to block Conservatives' spending plans
The plan has also drawn 25 letters of objection from the public.
Local ward member Coun Liz Harvey asked for the proposal to be determined by Herefordshire Council’s planning committee, which will now happen next Wednesday (October 25).
In a report for the meeting, planning officer Chloe Smart recommends approving the plan, citing its “highly sustainable location”, and adding that the “additional town-centre population [would] contribute to the local economy”.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel