Plans for five new homes for village approved

Five houses planned for a village near Hereford have got the go-ahead despite some local opposition.

The two-storey homes of three and four bedrooms are to be built on a brownfield site off Poplar Road to the south of Clehonger, within its settlement boundary.

The application was submitted by Mr G Mussell of GCM Developments after a previously approved planning bid for the site lapsed.

The houses “will be energy-efficient”, with “high-performance glazing and insulation” as well as roof-mounted solar panels, it said.

Three-bedroom homes account for over half the identified need within the local housing market area, it added.

However Allensmore Parish Council, in which the site lies, felt that “one or more two-bedroomed houses in the mix would better suit the needs of the area”.

Neighbouring Clehonger Parish Council also said that the 13 parking spaces indicated for the five houses showed “an excessive degree of car dependency”, and hence “additional traffic onto a tiny country lane”.

Among several comments submitted by residents, near-neighbours Rob and Kathy Maddy said Clehonger “has seen a vast amount of development on agricultural land in the last couple of years, and the green space in the surrounding area is being eaten up by developers.

“There is absolutely no need for these properties in the village, they are not even starter homes or affordable housing.”

But supporting the application, Christopher Tomlinson said: “Compared to the large developments already approved in Clehonger, this is a very minor development.”

There were no objections from specialist consultees inside or outside of the council.

Planning officer Elsie Morgan considered that “additional visitor parking would reduce any potential associated on-street parking along Poplar Road and secure highways safety”.

Permission for the scheme was granted subject to numerous conditions including the provision of cycle stores, electric vehicle charging points and wildlife habitat features.