Four big planning decisions coming up in Herefordshire

Four big Herefordshire planning cases, each very different, will be decided on by councillors this Friday (July 4).

The county’s latest solar farm could be built beside the Hereford-Ledbury railway line on farmland north of Stoke Edith if a proposal submitted a year ago by Reading-based Anesco is granted.

The 30-hectare, 20-megawatt facility “would be temporary and reversible”, with sheep grazing remaining “feasible” underneath the 2.8-metre-high panels, the firm’s application said.

Yarkhill Parish Council said a meeting it had held on the plan heard local objections over flooding, landscape and heritage impact, and an “over-expansion of solar power generation” in the area.

But planning officer Rebecca Jenman has concluded the goal of decarbonisation “significantly and demonstrably outweighs” the scheme’s impacts, and is urging the planning committee to pass it.

A plan to build eight houses (reduced from nine) on a field by Greyhound Close, Longtown in the southwest of the county will also be decided on.

The proposal put forward by Claire Price early last year has drawn more than 40 objections over issues ranging from whether they are the sorts of houses the area needs, their design, density and environmental, landscape and heritage impact – concerns shared by Longtown Group Parish Council in its objection.

But considering that benefits from the scheme would outweigh any harm, planning officer Josh Bailey is recommending it be approved, subject to a list of 24 conditions.

The council’s own scheme, valued at £2.4 million, to bring new classrooms and outdoor improvements to Hampton Dene Primary School in Hereford, enabling it to take 16 more special education needs and disabilities (SEND) pupils, is also due to be decided on.

Sport England remains opposed to the loss of playing fields the scheme would bring, despite changes to it during the planning consultation.

But the planning officer in this case, again Josh Bailey, has concluded the “substantial benefits arising from enhanced SEND provision outweigh the moderate harm resulting from the loss of playing field provision”.

And the extensive development beyond the Roman Road north of Hereford, west of the main A49, would be topped off with 31 “maisonettes and apartments” for key workers in and around the city, under Bloor Homes’ plan.

Planning officer Adam Lewis is also recommending this be approved.