Appeal to keep Eardisland, Herefordshire homes plan alive

A local builder is appealing against the refusal of his controversial plans for four homes on the edge of a Herefordshire village.

Darren Staples of Staples UK Holdings had applied for planning permission for four self-built houses on an acre and a half of farmland immediately northeast of Eardisland west of Leominster.

Mr Staples’ earlier plan for six houses on the site was refused permission by Herefordshire Council’s planning committee two years ago.

RELATED STORIES:

• Plans for barn conversions at Herefordshire farm
• Decision on converting barns near Hereford into four homes
• Nine larger homes planned for Herefordshire village

His more modest plan for the same site, with revised drainage arrangements, was submitted shortly after, with an accompanying statement saying that “all the issues [previously] raised have been addressed”.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

Eardisland parish council remained opposed to the proposal for numerous reasons, while 38 of the public responses received from 50 households also objected.

OTHER NEWS:

• Herefordshire's £2m roads package sidesteps Balfour Beatty contract
• Westons Cider of Herefordshire gains permission to expand
• Leominster extension to have 1,600 new homes and 'retirement living'

In June planning officer Emma Aram ruled that most of the reasons for refusing the previous scheme – over waste water disposal, the “urbanising” effect on the historic settlement of Eardisland, highway safety and “safe escape routes during a flood event” – still applied to its successor.

Now Mr Staples has appealed to the government’s planning Inspectorate in a bid to have the council’s decision to refuse the application overturned.

The appeal process is now under way, though a hearing date has yet to be set.