A landowner who wants to build two new homes at the bottom of his garden in a Berkshire village could have his plans approved despite opposition.
The landowner has applied to build two new houses in a backland development to the rear of his existing home in Heath Ride, Finchampstead.
The long straight road is used by drivers to get between the northern, more built-up part of Finchampstead and Crowthorne.
The two new homes would be built on land that is currently used as storage, with the site containing a Nissen Hut building; a brick and concrete single storey building and a static caravan.
The proposed would come with enough space for four or five bedrooms, with access being provided using an existing private driveway.
The landowner had applied to get permission ‘in principle’ to build the new homes to Wokingham Borough Council, the planning authority for the area, in April,
However, the project was refused the following month, with a planning officer judging that the site is ‘located within an unsuitable location for residential development’.
The officer added: “The occupants of the dwellings would be overly reliant on private motor vehicles to access basic amenities and services.”
Now the landowner has appealed to the government’s planning inspectorate, which has the power to approve the project.
You can view the application by typing reference 240918 into the borough council’s planning portal, and the appeal using reference APP/X0360/W/24/3350050 on the planning inspectorate website.
A previous plan for two homes on the site was approved by the inspectorate in 2016 but overturned by a Judicial Review the following year.
