A CONTROVERSIAL proposal by CY Development Ltd of Haslemere to build eight new homes on half-an-acre of scrubland west of the industrial estate on the old A31 at Bentley has been dismissed at appeal.

East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) planners refused the application in August last year over concerns that the footpath access would be too narrow, forcing pedestrians to use the vehicular access through the industrial estate, which was not considered a safe alternative.

For this reason, the proposed development was felt to be of poor design, not being inclusive in nature or allowing ease of movement, which is considered a fundamental principle of sustainable design.

Furthermore, there was no provision for three affordable houses on the site or for a commuted sum to offset this requirement.

At appeal, inspector Elizabeth Pleasant considered the main issues to be whether or not the proposed development would be a sustainable and inclusive design, with particular regard to access, and whether or not affordable housing should be provided, and if so, whether appropriate arrangements had been made.

On the question of affordable housing, Ms Pleasant considered that since the proposed development was for less than 10 houses, in line with revised Government guidance, which states that contributions should not be sought from developments of 10 units or less, and which have a maximum combined gross floorspace of no more than 1,000 square metres, which this does not, the absence of a contribution toward affordable housing should not be reason for dismissal.

Furthermore, Ms Pleasant was satisfied that the revised linear form of layout would not harm the setting of the Bentley Conservation Area.

But the application fell on the issue of design which, Ms Pleasant concluded, was not sustainable or inclusive for all its users and would conflict with local planning policy, including Bentley’s neighbourhood plan, which calls for good design, and for any future development to provide safe and convenient pedestrian links to integrate with the existing pedestrian network and to improve access for people with impaired mobility.