AN appeal is to be heard into an application for change of use from private dwelling house and agriculture to mixed use as a private house, activity centre and agriculture together with internal and external alterations to an ancillary building at Wick Hill Farm at Hartley Mauditt, near Alton.

The application was turned down by the South Downs National Park Authority last December on grounds that the proposals sought changes – “primarily the retention of unauthorised works, which fundamentally alter and adversely affect the visual relationship of the extension to the principal listed building”.

Furthermore, according to the national park authority, the works had already been tested at appeal and found to cause “unacceptable harm to the significance of the listed building” by failing to preserve the special architectural and historic interest of the building and “harming the character and appearance of the surrounding countryside”.

The proposals were therefore deemed to be contrary to the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework, to East Hampshire District Council’s joint core strategy (local plan), and to the South Downs partnership management plan.

The appeal is to be determined at a public hearing at Whitehill village hall on December 10 at 10am.