Plan to build new homes in a north Shropshire village thrown out
Plans to build 30 homes in a north Shropshire village have been thrown out by planning officers, who said it would be an "unwarranted intrusion" into the countryside.
Developers hoped to build the residential development on the current Lazy Days Sales Centre site in High Heath, Hinstock near Market Drayton.
But planning officer Tim Rogers said the plans would have a significant impact to the "loose knit" homes in the village.
He said: "The proposed development of this site would result in an over extensive and out of scale addition to the loose knit pattern of residential properties in the immediate area, and as such would constitute an unnecessary and unwarranted intrusion into the open countryside."
He added that the proposal was not in a sustainable area and that the economic benefits did not outweigh the potential impact on the village.
The plans had been objected to by 15 residents who believed that the scale of the build would be too much for the rural area.
But applicant Lester Stacey, who owns the motorhome sales centre on the A41, had put forward the plans in a bid to secure jobs and the future of the business.
A planning statement submitted on behalf of Mr Stacey said that the company needed to secure value from this land to fund an expanding business in Ollerton, which current staff would be transferred to.
He added: "The existing sales centre site is inadequate for expansion of the business."
Nineteen staff from the Lazy Days centre signed a petition to support the application in a bid to protect their jobs.
But Mr Rogers said: "The benefits of developing the site in terms of economic gain for the alternative business are noted.
"However, the general economic and social benefits are not site specific – greater benefits are gained from developing sites closer to existing settlements."
Meanwhile, residents are still waiting to hear if further development of the village could go ahead.
Another five applications have been submitted for around the area, with the largest including a build of 47 properties on land off Chester Road and 36 on land east of Chester Road.
The proposals are awaiting a decision by Shropshire Council.
