Builder appeals rejection of village development

More than 1,100 objections were lodged against the application before the council refused the plans

A housebuilder has appealed against a council's decision to reject plans for a 58-home development in a village.

Manor Oak Homes applied to North Northamptonshire Council for outline planning permission to build a residential estate off Barton Road in Barton Seagrave, near Kettering.

The proposal, which was in regards to land next to Barton Seagrave Cricket Club, promoted more than 1,100 objections and the Reform UK-led authority refused the plans on the basis they would "erode the character and appearance of the area".

A government-appointed planning inspector will now choose to either dismiss the appeal and uphold the council's decision, or overrule the authority and accept the appeal.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that the appeal will be heard through a planning inquiry, but no start date has yet been arranged.

In its refusal, the authority said that the influx of people, vehicles and lighting would "diminish the sense of tranquillity" experienced by those who use the green space.

It also ruled the development would have had a detrimental impact on residential amenity and privacy and flagged its failure to adhere to policies in the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy and Local Plan, which required the development to provide 30% affordable housing and 5% of plots to be self-build or custom-build serviced plots.

If approved, the plans would see a large property at 60 Barton Road demolished to make way for a new road access into the estate.