Further details about the large planned extension to Leominster have emerged – including a higher likely number of new houses.

These are contained in a 108-page “request for an environmental impact assessment scoping opinion” submitted to Herefordshire Council by agent for the developers Pegasus Group, in what is the first formal planning move on the proposal to extend the town southwards.

The purpose of this is to get council agreement that the documentation to be submitted with the actual planning applications will be enough to meet planning requirements.

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Pegasus says there will in the event be two separate planning applications, one for site A, being promoted by Richborough, which will contain “around 650” homes, the other for site B to the east, more than twice the size and promoted by Satnam Investments, with around 950 homes.

So the total figure for the 165-hectare area is likely to be closer to 1,600 homes than the 1,500 figure quoted up till now.

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The planning request also mentions a “potential retirement living opportunity” within the development – which did not feature in the recent public consultation or its accompanying website.

The two forthcoming applications will be covered by a single environmental statement, as “there is the potential for both sites to come forward at a similar timeframe”, Pegasus’ application says.

Despite its name, the environmental statement will also cover the transport, health, social and economic aspects of the scheme as well as impacts on architectural and archaeological heritage.

Public comments are not being accepted on this initial application.