New A-road crossing to link up planned estate

A new “puffin” crossing is to be installed across a busy Herefordshire A-road to link a long-awaited housing estate to the village primary school and post office.

Bell Homes gained detailed permission for the 15-home scheme at Burley Gate in January last year, though its original outline planning application for the development dates back to 2018.

The council has now given the go-ahead for a so-called Section 278 Agreement with the developer to enable installation of a crossing over the A465 Hereford-Bromyard road immediately to the west of the two-acre development site.

In line with the earlier documentation for the scheme, it is referred to in the filename of the record decision as a “puffin” crossing – that is, one operated by pedestrians with red and green men on traffic lights at either side of the crossing.

Approved plans show a 50-metre stretch of “high-friction” surfacing being applied to the carriageway either side of the crossing, while the current bus stop on the south side would be relocated a short way eastwards, near where a new turning off the A465 into the estate is planned.

The plans also show the hedgerow removed from the road edge being transplanted to the southern boundary of the site to make way for a new footpath.

The hedgerow appears to have already been removed, and temporary fencing erected along the roadside in advance of building work.

Under a separate Section 106 agreement with the council, five of the 15 houses will be classed as affordable, with priority given to those with local connections.

Bell Homes has also agreed to make contributions to local schools, health, transport and recycling facilities.

The outline plan also included permission for a community shop immediately west of the new estate, by the proposed crossing. This did not feature in the subsequent detailed planning application for the houses, but could still come forward under a separate application.