The construction of an eco-home in the Ribble Valley countryside has been refused by the council as they feel it could have been “visually harmful” to the area.
Mr and Mrs Cross, who submitted the application, were looking to build the house at the rear of Grade-II listed Read Hall, off Hammond Drive, in the village of Read.
They currently live in the village and were looking to remain in the area by repurposing the existing plot to create a sustainable, modern eco-home.
A personal statement as part of their application said they had lived in the village for 15 years and after a meeting with another resident, were offered a plot of land with the potential for development.
This coincided with their plans to relocate to a property better suited to their needs while remaining in the village community they had become accustomed to.
The statement continued: “We fully appreciate the area and the particular aspects of the site and want a home that will sit within the contours of the land and remain in keeping with the surrounding properties with minimum impact, and consideration to the positioning of the property regarding the woodland area and the neighbour’s property has been key to the design.”
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The one-storey house would have contained three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an office, and a large open-plan room containing a kitchen and living area.
The design and access statement also pointed out the natural stone the house was to be made of, considering the visual impact on the area.
Despite these considerations, Ribble Valley Borough Council have rejected the proposal, saying the size of the house and the materials used would have impacted the character of the area.
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A decision notice said: “The proposal would result in a large, dominant, house of modern design and materials which would have a visually harmful and urbanising impact upon the rural character of the area.
“It would also have a harmful impact on the simple architecture and traditional character and appearance of the Grade-II listed Read Hall and its associated parkland, the Grade-II listed Ice House, and a number of non-heritage assets and their settings.
“Any public benefits from the development do not outweigh this less than substantial harm.”
The statement also said the proposal would have resulted in an elevated terrace in close proximity to a neighbouring property, which would have impacted their privacy.
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