By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Plans for 24 homes in a Gloucestershire village have been given the go-ahead.
District planners considered Powells’ proposals which include 12 affordable homes on land off Kempley Road in Dymock this week.
Vehicle access to the new estate will be via a single point from Normansland Road to the east of the site, according to the plans.
The scheme includes a substantial area of public open space with a children’s play area.
And a new pedestrian connection is also proposed to link the site with Station Terrace to the northwest.
The mix of homes is expected to be four one-bedroom bungalows, five two-bedroom houses, seven three-bedroom homes, and eight four-bedroom properties.
The plans also include protecting the corridor of the proposed restoration route for the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal.
Officers recommended councillors should grant delegated permission for the scheme at the Forest of Dean District Council planning committee on March 10.
David Nelmes, a local resident who owns the paddocks bordering the site, spoke at the meeting.
He raised concerns about the impact the proposed drainage system would have on the site which is one of two Gloucestershire wildlife sites approved in the county in the last ten years.
“You cannot artificially redirect water in any way that damages a neighbour’s land,” he said.
“Doing so exposes you to civil legal action. The exit plan is highly flawed. It will not drain uniformly.
“It does not replicate the existing situation of the field. It will pick up and steam onto a non filtering substrate of heavy clay and cause localised flooding on my land.”
He also raised concerns it would pollute his watercourse which has “£50,000 worth of stock fish aswell breeding sites for protected species”.
Bob Hargreaves, engineer of the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust, also spoke against the current plans.
And said Normansland Road could be realigned which would help with the canal restoration and improve highway safety.
“There’s an opportunity here for this realignment to take place,” he said.
“I don’t believe it will jeopardize the scheme in any way and what it would do is dramatically improve Normansland Road in terms of providing better alignment, safer access and a safer pedestrian route.”
He asked for the committee to revisit the plan so that amendments could be made to protect the canal route and a realignment of the road be made.
Matt Tompkins, planning agent for the applicant, spoke in favour of the plans and said they welcomed the support of Dymock Parish Council.
He said the site sits naturally within the village and is a sustainable location with access to services already within Dymock.
“A key benefit of the proposal is the delivery of 50 per cent affordable housing,” he said.
He also said there is a significant shortfall of affordable housing across the Forest district and the plans would make a meaningful contribution towards addressing the need.
Councillor Clayton Williams (C, Hartpury and Redmarley), who grew up in Dymock, proposed approving the scheme in line with the officers’ recommendation.
And this was seconded by Cllr Jonathan Beeston (C, Newent and Taynton).
Councillor Gill Moseley (LD, ) said Dymock could cope with extra housing as it is well provided with facilities and the parish council supports the proposal.
“Locally the community is generally in favour,” she said.
The committee voted unanimously to grant permission.