Norton homes plan rejected over access concerns

Neighbours had objected to the proposal, which would have seen two homes built on land north of Yew Tree Close in Norton.

Applicants CDC Bespoke Properties said in the application: “It is understood that this is a privately owned driveway, but the legal matters relating to the ownership will form a separate consideration to this application.”

But residents had a number of concerns, including that the driveway was only built to serve four properties and is not wide enough for two vehicles to pass easily.

One neighbour said: “The cost of maintaining the driveway is shared between residents.

“The driveway is not intended for heavy construction traffic and if the application were to be approved, damage would occur causing additional maintenance costs.”

Traffic concerns weren’t limited to the shared driveway.

“While the official speed limit for Norton Road is 40mph, few vehicles adhere to this limit even though a pre-school children’s nursery exists in the road.

“Joining Norton Road can be difficult at present, even with the existing four properties. Increased traffic would result from the proposed properties.

“The application states that seven parking spaces will be provided, but additional service vehicles and deliveries would cause extra traffic.”

Wychavon district planners said the proposed homes would help to meet housing needs in the area and would not be harmful to the existing area.

But they said the proposed access arrangements were “substandard” and failed to ensure safe and suitable access to the properties.

“As such, the proposal would be detrimental to highway safety which would amount to material harm,” the planning officers’ report says.

“The adverse impacts and harm that is likely to arise would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”

The applicants had said they would have installed electrical car charging points at the properties as required and two “general purpose” bird boxes on the site.