Tree Nursery homes plan rejected

Plans to build six detached homes on land currently home to a tree nursery have been refused by a planning officer.

The site in North Road between Hertford and Waterford is currently a reclamation yard and landscape nursery. The proposals were for three 3-bedroom bungalows at the front of the site and three 4-bed traditional boarded barn style dwellinghouses. All the proposed homes would have off-street car-parking.

A public consultation on the plans saw submissions from 15 members of the public, with 4 supporting and 10 opposing. The plans were also opposed by Hertford Town Council and Stapleford Parish Council.

In refusing planning permission, the District Council's plannning officer James Langsmead wrote: "The proposals constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt".

"Other harm has been identified as loss of openness and the failure of the design and layout of the development to reflect and respect local distinctiveness".

The applicant has 12 weeks to lodge an appeal if they wish to contest the decision.