Appeal refused over Ludlow detached homes plan
Plans to build houses next to Ludlow's main school have been dashed as the proposal has been refused on appeal.
Five detached homes on Burway Lane planned to border playing fields of Ludlow School, were refused permission by Shropshire Council planning officers in October.
Applicant PJ Paddock appealed the decision but that has now also been refused by a government planning inspector.
The houses were planned for the quiet road which runs between the main Bromfield Road at the entrance to the town, as well as Ludlow Cricket Club, located at the rear of Ludlow School.
Planning inspector Hayley Butcher said the development would see the "encroachment" of buildings on open countryside.
The inspector said the development would also block views of the historic centre of Ludlow.
She said: "This is a well-used public bridleway which forms part of the Shropshire Way and affords its users' views over the countryside surrounding Ludlow and of Ludlow Castle, which can be clearly seen from the appeal site.
"Any development across the site would, without question, impede these views, even if restricted to five dwellings.
"The proposal would therefore cause harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding area."
Though it could be argued the houses were simply a continuation of existing development along the road, she added: "It would, nevertheless, represent an encroachment of the built form into what is an attractive and open rural landscape which provides the wider setting of Ludlow."
The planning inspector added that in her opinion the location of the site was not sustainable despite being close to the town centre.
She said: "Ludlow is within walking distance. Upon reaching the main road there are cycle, pedestrian and bus routes into the town and the train station.
"However, Burway Lane itself is narrow, and the road uneven, and there is no provision of pavements and relatively little street lighting.
"The conditions of Burway Lane and the distance to the main road, some 515m, are such that future occupants of the development would be unlikely to rely on walking as a regular mode of transport, particularly persons with young children in pushchairs or those who use mobility scooters, or have difficulty walking."
The site was also not among those earmarked for development in Shropshire Council's five-year plan, though it was formally adopted after the application was made.
Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North, said he was pleased with the decision because the houses would have been built in an unsuitable area.
He said: "This is the right decision.
"We need housing in Ludlow but the need is for smaller, affordable homes within the town, not detached houses sprawling across green fields at the end of a long lane."
