Little Ashdene Farm Kington Lane Kington Worcester WR7 4DH

1. 1.The application site is outside of any defined development boundary as defined under adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan Review Policy SWDPR3. The site is therefore defined as being ‘open countryside’ where development strictly controlled subject to other policies in the Plan. The principle of this development for housing development on this site is not established by any of the other housing policies listed within the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review, and the following refusal reasons outline key technical policy conflicts. Accordingly, the location of development fails to accord with the provisions of Policy SWDPR3 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review, 2026 which would prejudice the Council’s stated aim of focusing most development to urban areas.
2. 2.The proposed development by reason of its location is in an unsustainable countryside location and would conflict with the aims of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review and the National Planning Policy Framework to reduce reliance on the private car as a means of transport. The proposal would fail to minimise the demand for travel. Therefore, the proposal would not be sustainable in terms of location and is contrary to Policies SWDPR06 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review, 2026 and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework as a whole, and with particular regard to Chapter 9, that require development to minimise the demand for travel and offer genuinely sustainable travel choices. Furthermore, the proposal would undermine wider Government aims and objectives including Net Zero and Carbon emission targets.
3. 3.In the absence of a legal agreement to secure the dwellings as self and custom build, the development is not exempt from biodiversity net gain requirements under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021). As such, the development subsequently fails to make appropriate provision for biodiversity gain and would have an adverse effect on biodiversity and would be contrary to Policy SWDPR29 and SWDPR30 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review, 2026 and the relevant aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework, and Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
4. 4.Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed development can be served by an appropriate and sustainable surface water drainage strategy. In particular, no site- specific soil infiltration survey or surface water drainage strategy has been provided to demonstrate that surface water run-off can be managed in accordance with the principles of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), including the management of the first 5mm of any rainfall event. In the absence of this information, the Local Planning Authority cannot be satisfied that the development would not increase flood risk, adversely affect water quality, or fail to provide an appropriate drainage solution. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies SWDPR38 and SWDPR39 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review, 2026 and the relevant aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.
5. 5.A Section 106 legal agreement / legal undertaking has not been completed to secure the provision of the required on-site affordable housing in accordance with Policy SWDPR19. The proposed development is located within a Designated Rural Area where brownfield residential developments of between five and nine dwellings are required to provide 30% affordable housing on site. In the absence of a completed legal agreement securing this provision, the proposal is contrary to Policy SWDPR19 and the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document of the adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (2026), as well as the relevant aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

WR7 4DH

Application type

Outline Application

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Kington

Date validated

2 June 2026

Consultation expiry

2 July 2026

Consultation start

5 June 2026

Consultation end

2 July 2026

Agent address

The Farm Office Millridge Farm Parsons Lane Hartlebury DY11 7YQ

Advertisement expiry

2 July 2026

Documents

7