Application for 26 houses at Sherborne St John refused

The application, with access, roads, parking, open space and associated infrastructure at Cranesfield on the northern side of Sherborne St John, was refused on January 29.

The application previously received 251 objections with residents voicing concerns about new houses harming the landscape, overstretching village facilities and causing a detrimental effect on the conservation area, including Grade II listed buildings and a rewilding project.

The officer’s refusal reads: “The proposed development, by virtue of the scale, density, layout and appearance would have a harmful and urbanising effect upon the landscape, character and visual amenity of the area.

Mock street scenes of the site (Image: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council)

“The proposed development would erode the rural setting of the Sherborne St John Conservation Area and that of listed buildings within it.”

Sherborne St John, which has a population of around 1,300, has multiple historic landmarks, including Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church and Grade II Manor Farmhouse, both to the south-east of the application site.

The refusal also detailed that the development had not demonstrated that it would cause no harm to Great Crested Newts and that the road layout was not suitable.

Location plan of the site (Image: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council)

Cllr Simon Minas-Bound, borough councillor for Sherborne St John and Rooksdown, celebrated the decision. He said: “Residents, the parish council and local groups worked incredibly hard to highlight the real impacts this proposal would have had on the village, particularly in terms of landscape character, heritage, wildlife and infrastructure.

“It’s not enough to simply propose housing numbers – schemes must respect the character of our villages, protect wildlife, manage flood risk properly and deliver the infrastructure communities need.”

The plans included 10 dwellings for affordable housing, 60 vehicle parking spaces, with all houses and apartments having private gardens.

3D render of the site (Image: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council)

Part of the 1.33-hectare parcel of land was the subject of a previous planning application for 26 dwellings, which was refused in March 2023 and was dismissed at appeal in May 2024 due to conflict with the spatial strategy of the local plan, moderate harm to the landscape and less than substantial harm that would be caused to heritage assets.

To view the application, search 25/02051/FUL on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s planning portal.