32 new homes planned for Winterbourne Abbas
A planning application has been submitted for Manor Farm.
A 32-HOME planning application has been submitted for Manor Farm at Winterbourne Abbas.
If approved it would add significantly to the village population which, at the last census, was just 355.
It comes from Montpellier Land and Development with public comments able to be made on the proposals until September 29th.
The application for the 1.5 hectare site included proposals for parking, demolition of several farm buildings, a public open space, off-road parking, bio-diversity measures and off-site flood storage. It also seeks to modify existing the existing access off Manor Farm Lane.
Agents for the developers say the buildings proposed for demolition are either large modern farm structures that detract from the character of the village Conservation Area although there are three traditional buildings planned for demolition because they do not lend themselves to conversion.
One of the buildings to be retained, the stone Bat Barn, at the front of the site, has been home to the rare long eared grey bat for a number of years, a protected species.
The new homes being proposed would be of brick, stone, flint and timber or fibre cladding.
Spaces for 66 cars are included in the proposals together with 20 cycle spaces.
A total of 21 of the homes would be for market sale with seven for social, affordable or intermediate rent and four listed as affordable homes. Most would be two or three bedrooms.
Said a statement from the company agents: “the development removes a number of utilitarian farm buildings that contribute negatively to setting and character. The scope to create a more open setting to the listed buildings will benefit both the Manor Farm buildings themselves, as well as the views into and out of the conservation area.”
The village has been identified as one of the key villages for some development to help protect the facilities it has – including the village school, almost opposite the site and the garage and Londis store which is adjacent to the site on the same side of the road.
The village pub, after years of being empty, recently re-opened with new owners who have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds refurbishing the building.
By Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter