PLANS to build 125 homes in the centre of Broadway have been turned down after more than 500 letters were received objecting to the proposal.
Members of Wychavon District Council’s planning committee refused the application from the Lindner family and Spitfire for the homes to be built on Leamington Road during a meeting held on Thursday (April 24).
The decision, which took more than an hour to reach, came after councillors from the committee had asked developers to come back with more information after raising initial concerns in a meeting held in November last year.
But the committee were still not impressed with the plans and voted to refuse for a number of reasons – one of them being the development was situated in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Broadway Parish Council chairman Coun David Folkes told the committee: “The National Planning Policy Framework 116 states that planning applications should be refused for all major developments in areas of outstanding natural beauty except in exceptional circumstances.
“And the Broadway Conservation Board say this fails to meet this criteria.
“This development will be built on Grade I agricultural land and the landscape character will be significantly harmed with the
introduction of this residential development.”
Part of the development includes 50 homes as Extra Care accommodation made up of 40 apartments and ten bungalows.
But councillors expressed the opinion there needed to be more homes for younger people and families – and this was not
reflected in the application.
Coun Barrie Parmenter said: “Broadway already has 33 per cent of over-65s which is more than double the national average which is 16.4 per cent.”
Mark Chadwick, representing applicants Spitfire, told the committee the development would help meet housing need in Broadway.
And he also pointed out to members that Natural England had raised no objection to the plans despite concerns raised the development was situated in land of areas of outstanding natural beauty.
