Appeal win for homes plan at Whitchurch pub site (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Appeal win for homes plan at Whitchurch pub site

7:30am Saturday 13th October 2012 in News

A DEVELOPER has won a planning appeal to build five homes on the site of a former pub.

In February, Basingstoke and Deane Borough council refused Lochailort Investment Ltd’s planning application to build the homes at The Railway Inn, in Station Road, Whitchurch.

The site was the subject of a long-standing community campaign after residents protested first against the pub being knocked down in 2010, and then against Lochailort using the site as a temporary pay-and-display car park.

However, the borough council granted permission for this up until 2013.

Now the company has won an appeal lodged with the planning inspectorate to develop the site with a mixture of three and two-bedroom dwellings.

Its application was refused by the borough council because of concerns regarding the layout and car parking arrangements, which the council said would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area.

However, giving her judgment, planning inspector Christina Downes said: “I see no reason why an indigenous hedge could not grow to a sufficient height to provide effective screening of the hard surfacing and parking areas relatively quickly.”

Lochailort Investment also applied for a full award of costs against the borough council, but this was refused.