Plans for village homes could still go ahead

A plan to build new homes on green space in a village could still be allowed to go ahead.

The proposal to build 29 homes on land and stables to the west of Ivy Lane in Bretforton near Evesham was rejected by Wychavon District Council earlier this year.

The developer Beechcroft Land has lodged an appeal with the government’s planning inspectors hoping to get the decision overturned.

If the inspectors find that planning officers were wrong in rejecting the plan, it has the power to overrule the council and give it the green light.

Planning officers at Wychavon District Council rejected the plan saying it could not allowed homes to built on what was classed as open countryside and outside the designated development boundary for the village.

“The proposal sits outside of the settlement boundary and is therefore classed as being in the open countryside as defined in the adopted and up-to-date development plan,” the rejection said.

“The development of this area for residential use is therefore contrary to the development plan.

“Any merits afforded by the proposal are not considered to outweigh the in principle conflict with the development plan.”

A total of 24 objections were raised by residents in Bretforton who said the village had already seen enough development while some villagers welcomed the plan.

Concerns were also raised about using the “suitable” Ivy Lane to access the new homes.

“The lane is already a very busy road,” the objection from Leon and Dawn Witts in Ivy Lane said, “with vehicles transiting through to Holly Close.

“There are already residents’ concerns about the speed of traffic in the lane, which would only rise if this development goes ahead.

“If built, Ivy Lane residents could expect to see another 50-plus vehicles using the lane and further to that, all the associated service vehicles post construction.”

Bretforton Parish Council had objected to the mix of one-bed flats and two-to-four-bed homes saying it was outside the development boundary for the village and was not part of any housing proposals in the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP).