Months until decision on 350-homes plan

An aerial view from Google Earth shows the proposed site which is west of Lugg Meadow

A decision on plans to build a 350-home estate near a nature reserve is not expected until at least December.

The proposal put forward by the STL group for farmland between Hereford and Lugg Meadow received more than 1,000 objections, including over transport connections and impact on wildlife.

The Land East of Hereford Action Group, which is among opponents, wrote to Herefordshire Council's planning case officer Ollie Jones to ask why the target decision date was put back to September and then to 20 December.

Mr Jones replied the extension was "mutually agreed in order to provide the applicant with additional time to address the issues raised”.

Mr Jones added he was not able to confirm "a precise timeline for the submission of this additional information” and there would then have to be further consultation on the revised plans with the specialists and the public.

Such time extensions were "not uncommon in the case of large and complex applications such as this” and can be added to indefinitely if both parties agree, he added.

Mr Jones wrote in May to Savills, the property services firm acting for the developer, setting out reasons why the application could not be supported "in its current form" which led to the initial extension.

Objections have mainly focused on the environmental and visual impact on Lugg Meadow, which is a protected and traditionally managed flood plain, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Concerns have also been raised over flooding, road safety and the capacity of local services.

Savills has also been told the inclusion of a farm shop and other commercial space would need to be supported by "robust" evidence the location was the best one and an assessment carried out on how existing city businesses could be affected.

The firm, acting on behalf of the developer, previously said it would carefully consider all of the representations submitted and where there were opportunities to make changes would address the objections to "positively improve the proposals".