Plans for six new homes in Northumberland village refused

Simon Atkinson of construction firm L A Reinforcements had applied for outline planning permission to develop a greenfield site north-west of the Lal Khazana restaurant.

A planning report submitted on the applicant’s behalf argued that the proposed site was well contained with existing development to the south and east and would not breach established building lines.

A new access point from Deanmoor Road on the eastern boundary of the site was planned with turning points incorporated to ensure vehicles could leave in a forward gear.

However, the planning department considered that the proposed scheme was contrary to planning policy, while the highways department raised safety concerns about the narrowness of Deanmoor Road and lack of footpaths or street lighting.

Senior planning officer James Bellis stated: ‘The site is visually separate from the main form of Shillbottle, with little in the form of accessibility measures to enable access to the village itself.

‘The proposal could deliver economic benefits through the provision of new housing/and provide some support for existing services and, in social terms, it would deliver market housing in a location near to the village with the potential to add to its vitality and viability, however it is not considered to be compliant with existing development plan policy.

‘The addition of the proposed new dwellings into an area of open landscape would adversely impact and change the visual relationship between the built form of Shilbottle and its rural setting.

‘The proposed scheme has failed to address highway safety matters in relation to appropriate site access and manoeuvrability.’

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