Fears over safety in plans for new Herefordshire homes

A draft submission opposing the appeal against the refusal of a planning application in Bromyard has been published ahead of a meeting of Bromyard Town Council's planning an economic development committee tonight.

The draft paper, prepared by councillor Roger Page says that the refused development was for up for 120 homes, with 40 per cent affordable, on land known as Flaggoners Green, just off the A44 and Panniers Lane.

READ MORE: Planning appeal over 120-home Herefordshire town estate

"Over a number of years applications have been submitted on this greenfield land by the appellant, Gladman Developments Ltd, without success," the draft submission said.

The first application was refused by Herefordshire planners on the case officer's recommendation, and refused at appeal over inadequate access, the submission said.

A second application was withdrawn, and the current appealed application refused in October 2023, against the recommendation after the withdrawal of a highways objection of the case officer.

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The draft said the town council "could not understand" why the highways objection changed its stance "with no material change to the application" and so appointed an independent highways and transportation consultant to guide it. 

The consultant's conclusion was that "the development proposals do not comply with the NPPF (national planning policy framework)," the submissions said.

Consent was later granted, in January, for another development at Hardwick Bank, on the opposite side of the A44, with the submission stating that a "substandard, little-used footway" from Upper Hardwick Lane to Winslow Road should be improved as it is considered to be a 'desire line' (the shortest or the most easily navigated route), but that officers had made it clear it should not be considered a 'safe route', and that the Hardwick Bank application did not depend upon it.

An informal consultation by Gladman sought to amend the proposal to include "within its red line this substandard footway, which remains unacceptable as a safe route and would not, in any event, address the lack of a safe cycle route", the submission said.

The council is requesting that the planning inspector, after due consideration, dismiss the appeal, the draft submission said.

The draft submission will be considered by the council committee today, June 3.