A plan to build more than 20 homes in a Herefordshire village that drew widespread local opposition has been withdrawn.
KH Developments of Cheltenham had applied to build the estate at Gorsley, on the Gloucestershire border between Ross-on-Wye and Newent.
Two-fifths of the planned houses, given variously on the application as numbering 25 and 21 units, on a paddock north of Lovers Walk in the village, were to be “a mix of social rent, affordable rent, and shared ownership of low-cost market housing”, the application said.
But the proposal drew more than 40 objections locally, while Linton Parish Council said it “strongly” objected, pointing out that Gorsley “has far exceeded” its new housing targets.
“The development includes parking for 65 cars, which demonstrates that this is not a truly sustainable location to be putting a large number of new houses,” it added.
Neighbouring Gorsley and Kilcot Parish Council on the Gloucestershire side also said it was “of the strong opinion that this application should be rejected”, due to its impact on the appearance of the surrounding area, highway safety, flood risk to adjacent properties, and sustainability.
Forest of Dean District Council also objected that the proposal would “create a long frontage of uniform residential development, altering the character of this area”.
The site already has outline permission for nine larger houses, after Herefordshire Council’s refusal of the plan was overturned by a planning inspector in 2019.
But an earlier plan for 26 homes – that is, closer in density to the latest plan – was dismissed in 2105 as being “of a density that would be out of character with the area”. An appeal against this decision was unsuccessful.
Planning officer Heather Carlisle said the developer’s agent confirmed last week that they will not now be proceeding with the newer application.
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