Couple appeal against council decision

A COUPLE have lodged an appeal with a Government planning inspector after Waveney District Council refused permission for a new three-bedroomed home near Halesworth.

Anthony and June Corns, of Upper Holton, near Halesworth, want to build the property on land at Mill Post Crossing in Upper Holton.

The plot is close to the East Suffolk Railway Line and the couple consider it a brownfield site as there was a cottage there that still has its foundations.

Councillors on the district council's development control committee refused the original application because they said it was contrary to the provisions of the Local Plan.

"It would represent an undesirable intrusion into an area of open countryside in which no development should take place other than that essential to agriculture and related uses," said the council in a statement being sent to the planning inspector.

Mr and Mrs Corns dispute the council's ruling and believe their proposal is consistent with current Government guidance on planning policy.

"There has been a dwelling on the site at Mill Post Crossing since local railway line was built in the mid 19th Century.

"As far as we can gather the house at Mill Post Crossing was demolished because it was too close to the railway line. Any future development could take place on a different part of the site," say the couple in their statement being sent to the inspector.

Mr and Mrs Corns also said that in the present climate of a continuing pressure on housing needs the proposal to develop a brownfield site is a "reasonable and justifiable" one.

"We consider that the history of the site and its location suggests that development would be consistent with a broad view of housing policy and should be granted," said Mr and Mrs Corns.

They point out that at an East of England Local Government Conference in November last year was advised that housing needs could be 30% above the current predictions that allows for 20,850 new homes per year.

"This clearly reflects a trend that is not likely to change in the near future," said the couple.

Local residents and others who wish to make any representations about the appeal can do so by writing to:

The Case Officer, The Planning Inspectorate, 3/08A Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS! 6PN.

All representations should be sent in triplicate quoting reference number APP/T3535/A/03/1111875 to arrive no later than April 18, 2003.

The planning inspector has agreed to make his decision after studying all the written submissions.

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david.lennard@eadt.co.uk