Homes plan for farm rejected four years after similar scheme approved
A proposal to demolish farm buildings and replace them with 14 homes has been rejected, just a few years after a similar plan was approved.
Walsall Council planning officers said the development put forward by Tame Homes Ltd on the former Beacon Dairy Farm on Doe Bank Lane, Great Barr, was inappropriate for the green belt land it sat on.
Back in 2019, the green light was given for 14 houses to be built on the land after the previous owners said the farm had been struggling for years and was no longer viable as a business.
But this fresh scheme saw changes made to the design and layout of the proposed development that was previously agreed and, as a result, saw the plan refused.
A Walsall Council spokesperson said: “The proposals put forward under (the new) application are significantly different those previously approved.
“The differences are, a different site boundary excluding the existing farmhouse, and a change to the design from a courtyard development intended to represent traditional farm buildings to detached dwellings with an urban character, a significant increase in the overall footprint and massing of development on site.”
“The recent assessment has been made in regard to potential additional impact of the amended design and layout of the development on the character and openness of the Green Belt.”
In the application, agents CT Planning said: “This application in essence represents a re-plan of the previously approved scheme.
“The proposed development is within a sustainable location and would make good use of an underdeveloped site.
“(It) incorporates a diverse mix of property styles and layouts.
“The proposed design and materials of the scheme take design cues from traditional rural buildings, whilst incorporating a modern twist and materials.
“As such the proposed development would not result in harm to the site or the surrounding areas.
“The site would be visible from Doe Bank Lane, albeit restricted due to the landscaping along the site boundary.
“The character of the proposed development is a betterment to that approved via the previous application in terms of layout, design, materials and impact on the openness of the Green Belt.”
