'Self-build' house plans are withdrawn after parish council raises ‘many major concerns’
A plan for a new ‘self-build’ home in the garden of a historic property in a village near Telford has been withdrawn after a flurry of objections.
Kynnersley Parish Council had told borough planners that it had “many major concerns’ over the outline application in the garden of The Old School House.
“There are many major concerns over this outline application,” says the parish’s submission to Telford & Wrekin Council.
“At this moment in time, it is unlikely that such an application would be supported by the parish council.”
The local consultees added that it would be “out of keeping and contrary to the conservation area status of the village".
A proposed driveway would be “unacceptable” as there would be limited visibility on this narrow part of the village road.
“Any construction here would be over-development,” the parish council concluded.
Drainage engineers at Telford & Wrekin Council said the principle of foul and surface water drainage “has not been satisfactorily established".
The specialists added that the site would be “totally reliant upon soakaways for surface water drainage".
They could not leave those matters to be decided at a later stage if the outline plan had been approved.
Conservation Area experts added that the plan is “currently deficient” in an appropriate assessment of the impact of the development on the setting of heritage assets and the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
Kynnersley became the eighth conservation area within the Telford and Wrekin borough when it was designated in 2022. Conservation Areas have tighter planning controls, and borough planners have to protect its character when deciding.
Lilleshall-based planning agent Stephen Locke Associates had borough planners that the applicant has agreed to withdraw this plan.
Mr Locke had told them that the new property would cover a plot of land in the southern area of the garden of The Old School House, which had been built in 1890.
Council planners had been told that the “development would offer an excellent opportunity to round off development within the area south of The Old School house".
"It is also an excellent opportunity to add variety to the available housing stock within the area.”
The general aim had been to build a Duke of Sutherland-style house/cottage which could “make a positive contribution to local character".
They added: “It is the objective that the proposed development would be a self-build project with help from a local builder and will contribute towards the local economy.”
Agents added that it was an “ideal infill and windfall plot” which would contribute to deliverable housing land.
