Housing on Roman remains site backed

The plans for 10 new homes off High Street on the edge of Leintwardine, near Ludlow, are now set to go before Herefordshire Council's planning committee for a final decision.

But the thumbs-up from the council's archaeological advisor Julian Cotton means a significant hurdle has been overcome in getting the houses built – as 28 homes planned for further down High Street were refused permission in March because they would be too close to protected Roman remains.

Mr Cotton said he had no objection to the 10 homes being built, next to the medical centre to the north of the village, as though there had been ancient artefacts found in the area in the past, there was nothing to suggest the site was of "particularly high" historical significance.

He said: "As anticipated some archaeological interest is suggested, particularly in the southern or eastern part of the site, where Roman period features and finds were present.

"However, the intermittent remains encountered do not seem to indicate a particularly high level of archaeological sensitivity and significance here. Any harm to the archaeological interest can be mitigated.

"Accordingly, subject to the attachment of a suitable archaeological condition to any permission granted, I would have no objections."

The greenfield site is hoped to host four bungalows, two two-bed houses, two three-bed houses and two four-bed houses, all to be sold on the open market. It has so far attracted a handful of objections from residents, but nothing on the scale of previous applications.

Residents, spearheaded by Leintwardine Group Parish Council, recently banded together in a year-long campaign to fight 45 houses being built at Rosemary Lane, saying the village of just 850 people could not cope with such an influx of new people.

The campaign was successful, with Herefordshire Council's planning committee refusing the application.