A planning application for five self-build homes on green fields in Oakham has been refused for the second time in three months. 

Last week (17th June) a planning officer from Rutland County Council decided to deny the application by Exeter Court 1 Ltd for the self-build plots on land to the south of Braunston Road and close to Noel Avenue. 

The plans were refused in April due to officers considering the proposal of two storey homes would have a detrimental effect on the nearby bungalows in Noel Avenue. There were also issues with the access and lack of a section 106 planning agreement and despite the applicant making changes to the site access and the planning statement, the planning department decided the homes are not appropriate, making the same conclusions as they had back in April.  

The highways authority and the Woodland Trust, which owns the nearby Brooke Hill site, also had objections and 12 nearby neighbours also raised concerns. These included increased flooding risk and the impact on nature. 

In the revised planning application, the company's planning consultants Freeths wrote in the planning statement: "It is clear that this application could deliver genuine self-build opportunities, in the short term, in an appropriate and sustainable, edge of settlement location, meeting an evident unmet need. The proposed development is immediately adjacent to the developed footprint of Oakham, and the Bellway Homes site to the west, and is therefore clearly a sustainable location, in a first-tier settlement, that being the most sustainable location in the county. 

"Upon interrogation of the self-build data provided by the council, it is evident that the approved self-build / custom housing plots are not actually addressing the clear need on the self-build register, given the people / associations on this register are not being offered the plots which are coming forward. The council's duties with respect to self-build are therefore not being met, and the principle of development is acceptable." 

However, the final decision of the officers to refuse, said: "It is considered that two storey properties here would have an overbearing impact upon existing residential amenity that would be exacerbated by the bungalows being south facing and having a relatively shallow garden depth next to the shared boundary. 

"Existing boundary treatments here are low level fences that provide little to no privacy and this would further add to the impact of new housing on the site. The brook/ditch runs along this shared boundary limiting the potential for robust landscaping to provide screening, which in turn could also cause shading/overbearing impact upon the neighbours and therefore not be likely to overcome this issue."