Westfield Farms Manea Ltd have applied for permission in principle for up to nine homes on the land situated south of Lavender Mill Close, Fallow Corner Drove, but officers are recommending the application for refusal, stating the proposal would have “unacceptable urbanising impact” on the village.
A report set to go before councillors on Wednesday describes the site as being in the countryside outside of the existing developed footprint of Manea.
It adds: “There are no material considerations which outweigh the determination of this application in accordance with the adopted policies and in line with the National Planning Policy Framework.”
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The report goes on to say: “The proposal fails to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and the pattern and character of the surrounding natural landscape and sporadic built character of the immediate area to the south of Fallow Corner Drove, which is largely open agricultural land.
“It would be inconsistent with the core shape of the village and would appear incongruous both in terms of the landscape character of the area and in terms of visual appearance. It will inevitably result in an unacceptable urbanising impact and an adverse impact on the verdant rural character.”
The site is also considered to be in an area of high risk of flooding and the report says there is insufficient justification to show development of the site is necessary.
Manea Parish Council said it could not support the application because the site is outside the village’s building envelope, it is in flood zone three, and councillors were also concerned about the loss of agricultural land, and a lack of drainage detail.
There were also 31 letters of objection from residents, 13 of them from people living in Fallow Corner Drove.
Comments from them included that the homes would be overdevelopment, and that it would “set an undesirable precedent”.
There were however, 13 letters of support, with comments that included the new homes would fit in with the existing development along the drove, would bring new vitality to the locality and meet housing needs.
But the officer’s report adds: “It is apparent that development of the application site would clearly constitute the extension of the settlement limit onto greenfield land in the open countryside.
“The majority of the surrounding area on the south side of Fallow Corner Drove is agricultural in use and clearly rural in nature.”