Objectors speak out against latest homes plan on site of disused chicken barns
Plans have been submitted to convert disused chicken barns into 10 new homes after two similar proposals on the same site were rejected.
Mr B Cooper has lodged the ‘fast track’ application forward for the barns on land south of Launde Road, in Tilton On The Hill, and will be considered by Harborough District Council (HDC) planners.
It is the third such ‘fast track’ proposal from Mr Cooper, with objectors once again hitting out at the latest plan after his previous two attempts were blocked by council planners.
The first refusal, in August last year, was due to Mr Cooper’s application failing to show that the barns were capable of functioning as a home without extensive works.
Mr Cooper said he had overcome this issue in the second application, but it was once again rejected by HDC, this time in January this year.
At the time, the council claimed one reason for its second rejection was that the application did not meet the criteria needed for a ‘Class Q’ request because the proposed homes encompassed a site larger than land for the barn itself.
In his latest application, Mr Cooper states that he has now overcome the ‘minor’ issues his second application faced, with demolition plans now submitted in parallel with the homes application.
Similar to the previous proposal, the applicant states that the conversion would be undertaken ‘without substantial rebuilding’ to the poultry barn, saying all walls would be kept while new doors and windows would be installed.
However, concerns remain from residents, with one commenting: "This third application adds nothing to overcome the major point of previous objections
“It is structurally inconceivable that any part of this poultry shed, including concrete raft, could be used as a part of an acceptable Class Q conversion.
"Since a total demolition and new build would not be eligible for this permission, it is requested that the application is refused.”
Tilton and Halstead Steering Committee has also registered an objection to the latest plan, citing issues with the proposed structure and roof of the planned building, the layout of the properties and their floorspace.
Consultation on the plans is open until Thursday, April 16, with HDC due to make a decision at a later date.