The developer which hoped to build a block of 53 retirement flats in a Herefordshire town says it is “extremely disappointed” at having its planned refused by councillors.

McCarthy Stone was seeking permission for a site off the Homend north of Ledbury town centre, currently green space with a bungalow.

The company’s divisional managing director Katie Fisher said: “Given Herefordshire Council's planning officer had recommended members to approve it, we are extremely disappointed with their decision to refuse our application to deliver much-needed retirement housing in Ledbury.”

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She said the proposal was “the culmination of extensive collaboration with Herefordshire Council officers over the past 18 months” and that there were “no outstanding technical objections from statutory consultees for planning committee members to base their refusal on”.

The printed decision on the case says the one-hectare site is a designated local open and green space which is “a valued stepping stone and corridor for wildlife and biodiversity, together with visual amenity”, a value which would not be outweighed by the benefits of the flats.

McCarthy Stone's application also failed to show that traffic and pedestrians, including those with restricted mobility, could safely enter and leave the site, or that local roads could absorb the extra traffic, councillors decided.

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“Both Herefordshire Council and Ledbury Town Council have outlined the need to deliver specialist homes for older people in the town,” Ms Fisher added.

“These proposals would have helped to meet this need, allowing local older people to move into a more suitable home, while staying close to friends and family in Ledbury.”

The company “will be assessing our options for the future of the scheme”, and had yet to decide whether to appeal against the refusal, a spokesperson said.