Local Plan: Where 10,000 new homes will go

People in Herefordshire are being asked their views on a new local plan for the county – a key planning document setting out in broad terms what will be built where between now and 2041.

By then, the government says Herefordshire will need to have built 16,100 new homes, or 805 a year. But around 6,500 homes have already been built or granted planning permission, leaving 9,600 more to find.

Here are where the biggest developments to meet that target are likely to be.

Hereford

There has already been extensive housebuilding beyond the Starting Gate roundabout to the north of the city. But the draft plan foresees this expanding this further to the north, with 900 new houses making up the Holmer North development.

Nearby, to the northwest of the city, 950 homes are planned at Three Elms. An outline planning application for the first 350 of these was made in 2022 but is yet to be decided on. So far it has drawn around 200 objections.

Then to the south of the city, a further 1,000 homes are earmarked for Lower Bullingham. Bloor Homes is expected to apply shortly for permission to build up to 540 of these following a preliminary application last year.

Ross-on-Wye

Ross will see the largest single development outside of Hereford, with 1,000 new homes going on land straddling the Rudhall Brook to the east of the town south of the Traveller’s Rest roundabout where the M50 terminates.

Bromyard

Hardwick Bank to the northwest of Bromyard has long been earmarked to greatly increase the size of the town by 500 homes. An outline plan by builder Vistry to build half that number was approved earlier this year.

Ledbury

Already the site of much new housebuilding, Ledbury is to get a further 450 new homes at an unnamed site off the A417 south of the “swallow” roundabout.

Leominster

Leominster is to get a further 200 homes south of the town’s primary school.

Kington

The Kingswood Road site south of the town is earmarked for 50 new homes.

Villages

There are also earmarked sites in Bartestree and Canon Pyon (each up to 60 new homes), Bodenham (up to 50), Colwall (up to 45) and Weston-under-Penyard (up to 30 new homes).

The local plan also covers areas for business and industry as well as the community facilities, roads and other infrastructure. Consultation on it, including in-person events round the county, runs until May 20.