Plan for 'incongruous' greenbelt homes rejected

Plans to build homes on a greenbelt site have been refused after the proposed properties were described as "imposing and incongruous".

The application for five homes in Eldwick, near Bingley, was turned down by Bradford Council, whose planners said it was "inappropriate".

The Squire's Farm development near Moorland Grange Farm, off Otley Road, would have provided much-needed "multigenerational" homes, according to property firm Acrehowe.

But rejecting the proposals, planning officers said the buildings would "take up a large portion of the site which would harm the landscape character and visual amenity of the site itself".

Plans were submitted by Acrehowe in March and received 18 objections, many of which raised concerns about building homes on the greenbelt site – part of a small hamlet of properties surrounding Eldwick Hall.

Acrehowe stated in its application that there were already farm buildings on the site, and those could be converted to housing or accommodation without the need for planning permission, through the "permitted development" route, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, the preferred option was for the five large homes that made up the planning application, it added.

The application said: "While the alternatives are deliverable without planning permission, they will deliver a built form outcome that remains somewhat unappealing to the market.

"We consider that the provision of multigenerational homes will have a significant positive impact on the identified groups with protected characteristics, whereas a refusal will have a significant negative impact."

Rejecting the application, council planning officers said the benefits of the five homes would not outweigh the loss of greenbelt land.

They said: "It is appreciated that economic and social benefits could be derived through the delivery of new homes.

"However, these benefits need to be balanced against the harm to the public interest that would be caused by loss of openness and conflict with the purposes of the greenbelt.

"In terms of the contribution of the site to the district housing land supply the proposed development of five dwellings, without the provision of any affordable housing, would not form any meaningful contribution to the district such that it might constitute a very special circumstance."

The proposed buildings would create "a large, imposing and incongruous development taking up a large portion of the site which would harm the landscape character and visual amenity of the site itself", planners added.

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