A DEVELOPER is seeking planning permission to build close to 100 homes in Hampton Lovett at the third time of asking.
Beechcroft Land Ltd has submitted an outline planning application for the development of up to 91 homes north of Droitwich Spa after two larger applications were turned down in recent years.
The new application hopes to build on the same 7.4 hectare site to the east of the existing static Doverdale Park Homes development just south of St Mary and All Saints Church and roughly 2.5km from Droitwich town centre.
Proposals aim to provide 1 to 5 bedroom homes with 40 per cent affordable housing, in line with planning policies set out in the South Worcestershire Development Plan. Access would be via the A442 Kidderminster Road.
Previous applications were refused due to both the sizes of the proposals (144 houses and 102 houses) and the indicative layout of the homes.
The previous proposals’ impacts on the character and appearance of the local area including the landscape and nearby heritage assets, namely Hampton Lovett Church, were also a large factor.
This impact on heritage assets was also noted in a consultee response from Worcestershire County Council’s archaeology and planning advisor, who did note a possible mitigation of impacts through sufficient archaeological works.
Worcestershire County Council Highways department had no objections to the access proposals providing required stipulations are met.
As the application is only at outline stage, most matters are reserved except access plans which are included.
No pushback was felt on previous applications with regard to flood risk at the site, with the proposed development lying mostly in flood zone one as well as smaller sections to the south, adjacent to Elmbridge Brook, lying in flood zones two and three.
The developers have taken into consideration the size of the previously proposed development and have earmarked land to the north of the site to remain as agricultural pasture land, separating the plot from the heritage asset (church and village hall) to the north.
More detailed strategies for the construction, power and heating of the proposed homes will be developed at the reserved matters stage.
Biodiversity plans include tree planting along new access roads, shrub and tree groups to the north, south and west of the development.
It is expected that education, healthcare, transport, and sports and leisure infrastructure would be necessary through section 106 planning agreements for proposals to progress.
Visit https://plan.wychavon.gov.uk/Planning/Display/W/24/02066/OUT for more information.
