Ten-home bid for site by hotel

A two-acre site on the main road south of Hereford could be turned into a 10-house estate.

Developing the site by the Brandon Lodge hotel on the A49 would involve knocking down an existing three-bedroom house and a commercial garage previously used for servicing and maintaining coaches.

If given permission, the two, three and four-bedroom houses would be sold at market rate.

The development would give directly onto the main A49.

A response from Highways England has yet to be published, but a letter from the applicant’s transport consultant says: “As a result of our extensive discussions with Highways England we expect the application to be well received and acceptable in highways terms.”

The planned development would incorporate a sustainable drainage system and a soakaway.

An ecological survey, which backed the bid, recommended that the wildlife value of the site should be enhanced by keeping and adding to existing trees, and implementing “a variety of habitat creation”, including bird, hedgehog and bat boxes, as well as ridge tiles designed to give bats access to the new houses.

Comments on the proposal, reference number 214452, which is for outline planning permission, can be made until January 27.