PLANNING permission has been granted for a new luxury home in the garden of Grade II listed Heron Court in The Bourne.

After a contracted battle for planning permission - including numerous planning applications for up to two new homes, an appeal to the Secretary of State and a new statutory listing by English Heritage - Waverley Borough Council’s western planning committee has finally given developer Searchfield Homes a green light to build a solitary four-bedroom house in the garden of the 17th century former hop store in Ford Lane.

The decision comes after developer Searchfield Homes made several concessions to its original plans including additions to Heron Court itself in the form of a rear extension and internal alterations.

Confronted with the option of using either Heron Court’s existing access in Ford Lane or a new one in Aveley Lane, councillors opted for the Ford Lane access reasoning that it would cause the least harm to the character of the area.

As one of 25 conditions to its planning permission, Searchfield Homes will be required to close up the rejected access in Aveley Lane, constructed under Permitted Development Rights earlier this year, and reinstate the hedgerow.

In summary, councillors agreed the latest application would result in “less than substantial harm” to Heron Court, outweighed by the public benefits of a new home in the developed area of The Bourne and the closing up of the Aveley Lane access.

After a prolonged fight to secure the future of Heron Court, neighbouring residents have also softened their opposition in the wake of Searchfield Homes’ concessions.

A group of residents fighting development at Heron Court said in a statement: “The scheme which now has consent is the most tolerable of those which have been put forward.

“Having now accepted that there will be one new house on the plot, most local residents would consider the scheme quite satisfactory.”

Construction of the new house will be restricted to between 8am and 6pm Monday to Fridays and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays. No works shall take place on Sundays.