An application to build 15 homes at Court Cottage Farm in Lamerton has been refused by West Devon Borough Council.

The proposal, 1618/20/FUL, would involve knocking down redundant farm buildings on the site to make way for new builds.

The proposal from applicants Mr and Mrs JL and JM Hill includes four affordable houses. The plan also includes a community recreation area, which has been welcomed by the village primary school. It also has the support of Lamerton Parish Council.

However the planning officer’s report on the application stated that while the scheme ‘would be considered an improvement on the existing situation’, the site could not truly be considered a brownfield site. The housing would go beyond the brownfield site on to adjoining Tappers Meadow, a green space in the centre of the village which is a Conservation Area.

The report added: ‘The scheme is unacceptable with regard to housing type mix and aspects of the future occupiers’ amenity, which attracts negative weight. The proposal is considered to result in harm to the visual quality of the natural and local environment and to the significance of heritage assets that is not outweighed by public benefits. These disbenefits are afforded substantial negative weight.’

The council also said the applicant had not completed a legal agreement, under Section 106 to secure affordable housing and other developer contributions to the community.

‘Furthermore, the scheme fails to meet the minimum 30% provision of affordable housing. This weighs heavily against the proposal,’ said the report. ‘Under this quota, 4.5 homes should be affordable, whereas the scheme only proposes four affordable properties.’

Borough councillor for the village Neil Jory, also WDBC leader, supported the refusal of the application.