Proposals for a housing development in Beckley have been turned down at appeal.
In a decision notice published last week, a planning inspector has dismissed an appeal connected with proposals to build four homes on greenfield land on Main Street — a site next to the Beckley Village Centre building.
The outline scheme, submitted by Landstrom Group Ltd, had been refused planning permission by Rother District Council in January last year due to concerns about its impact on “the landscape and scenic beauty” of the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL).
In a report from the time, a council planning spokesman said: “The dwellings, together with the large areas of hardstanding, detached garage buildings and domestic paraphernalia associated with the residential use … would significantly alter the character of the locality and would result in the site having a very domestic appearance. For these reasons, it is considered that the proposal would cause adverse harm to the rural character of the area and the landscape and scenic beauty of the [HWNL]. Overall, it is considered that the proposed development of four dwellings would erode the rural character and appearance of the locality by in-filling a presently attractive and locally important open gap of countryside, which helps to maintain the dispersed settlement pattern of this part of Beckley.”
The applicant disputed this view, pointing to the council’s shortage in its housing land supply and the national presumption in favour of sustainable development.
The planning inspector shared the council’s concerns about the scheme’s impact on the HWNL. In light of this, the inspector concluded that the benefits of the proposal would not outweigh its harms.
In their decision notice, the inspector said: “The proposal conflicts with the development plan. The material considerations do not indicate that the appeal should be decided other than in accordance with it. For the reasons given above the appeal should be dismissed.”
Image Credits: Landstrom Group Ltd .
The real reason for refusal should be the complete lack of ‘affordable’ housing, or better still, social housing, to clear some of Rother’s housing needs backlog.
It looks as though the site could contain a dozen small family homes, plus open space.