New Forest District Council defers decision on application by Cordage 46 to build five new properties on listed property in Salisbury Road, Burgate
A DECISION on plans to refurbish a dilapidated listed farmhouse in Fordingbridge and create new homes from outbuildings has been deferred.
As reported in the A&T, developer Cordage 46 applied to build five dwellings at the Old Farmhouse, a grade II-listed building, in Salisbury Road, Burgate.
Documents submitted to New Forest District Council detailed the refurbishment of the farmhouse and the demolition of outbuildings, which would be replaced with an L-shaped building comprising one three-bed dwelling and a pair of two or three-bed homes.
The substantial rebuilding and conversion of another outbuilding would create two four-bed homes.
The site, which would have a new access created from Fryern Court Road, as well as an existing route from Salisbury Road, would also have 14 car parking spaces.
A recommendation to the council’s planning committee had said it should be refused on the grounds it was contrary to both local and national policy, and that there was no justification for the building of new homes in the countryside.
A report added while the scheme offered “some benefits” to the listed farmhouse on site, there were “significant concerns” regarding the proposed demolition and reconstruction of the remaining buildings within the site "in terms of their adverse impact on the setting and significance of the listed buildings both within and adjacent to the site”.
This was despite the application being welcomed by Fordingbridge Town Council, which said the plans “sympathetically improve and develop an existing site which is in need of renovation”.
Discussing the application, Cllr John Sleep welcomed the plans to renovate the existing cottage on site.
“If we want to protect this building, then the payback is we accept these buildings to pay for the refurbishment of the cottage. That cottage isn’t going to last very much longer, it’s going to collapse.”
Cllr Joe Reilly added he would be “happy” if the listed building was protected, adding: “Anything after that is great, as it looks a mess.”
Suggesting the deferral, Cllr Barry Rickman said: “There is no doubt in my mind that this is a site that needs sorting out.
“It might be better to not make a decision and to defer, ask the applicant and our officers to get together and make an overall project to improve this area.”
Cllr Malcolm Wade called the suggestion “a very sensible solution”, adding: “If we can get a solution that ticks all the boxes and doesn’t have a negative impact on the listed building, its a win-win.”
Members voted unanimously in favour of deferring the application.