A historic Herefordshire estate says building a new car park will help fund improvements to the “inadequate” housing it owns.

Covering nearly 2,000 hectares of southwest Herefordshire, the Kentchurch Court Estate has been owned the Scudamore family for over 950 years. It is centred on Kentchurch Court, a grade I listed country house set within grade II* listed park and gardens.

The estate had applied for permission to turn part of a field south of Pontrilas into a 20-space car park for staff at a neighbouring business, Advance Joinery, which has now been granted.

RELATED NEWS:

The estate had previously put forward the entire field for possible commercial or educational use, but had not had a response to this, a letter accompanying the application from the estate’s planning consultant said.

“The estate’s most pressing challenge is holding not-fit-for-purpose and near-obsolete housing stock without the funds to redesign and refurbish them,” the letter explained.

Under a long-term plan, money from developing areas of the estate is funding improvements to existing housing while also bringing forward some new building on it, it said.

OTHER NEWS:

“The realisation of an opportunity to provide a much-needed local facility will help to achieve the estate’s aims and objectives whilst also benefitting the wider community,” the letter added.

Ewyas Harold group parish council said it had concerns over the road safety and flood risk implications of the car park plan.

But planning officer Laura Smith said any adverse impact from it “can be successfully mitigated and controlled to the degree that would not outweigh the benefits of the scheme”.

Full planning permission was granted, with conditions requiring clear road visibility for the pedestrian access, sustainable drainage, soft landscaping and biodiversity features.