by Rebecca Hannant
A planning application to build 16 homes in Keyingham has been rejected by East Riding councillors.
The original plans were for 20 “affordable” homes on a 0.65ha site on the field alongside Church Lane.
Developer Benson Planning Studio said it aimed to help more people on to the property ladder, but after its first application received more than 200 objections it was withdrawn for unknown reasons.
The plans were later revised to 16 houses and resubmitted in January 2024.
The revised application received 378 objections, with local residents citing a series of concerns including the removal of green spaces and the development putting more strain on provisions in the area including GP appointments, school places, traffic management and shopping.
Councillors on the East Riding Council planning committee refused the application on the grounds that the development was not in sympathy with the history and character of the area.
The report said: “The application site represents the first element of rurality in the landscape that surrounds the western side of Keyingham.
“Its character is formed by the open landscape with tree boundary behind, or with the verges and tree planting leading on to the rural landscape, with its openness extending the positive contribution made by the surrounding rural, relatively open land and landscaping to the character and appearance of the settlement and, to a degree, the setting of the Grade I listed church of St Nicholas.
“In contrast, given the topography of the site, the proposed development would, by reason of its scale and that of the dwellings proposed, and the layout and arrangement of the plots/dwellings, have a strong urbanising and domesticating effect on the site, which would be out of keeping with its current open, rural character.
“The development proposal would introduce substantial built form, particularly prominent in west to east views from Main Road.
“Overall, the proposal would completely change the character of the site and introduce permanent built development, eroding the rural and open character of the site and this part of the settlement.
“The introduction of the built development into this rural area would detract from the intrinsic character of the site’s surroundings, and the development proposals are not considered to be of a scale and design that is appropriate to the role, character and appearance of the settlement.
“Furthermore, the application also raises concerns from a conservation perspective, as the siting, scale and layout of the development proposal would diminish, and so detract from, the setting of the Grade I listed church of St Nicholas.
“This harm is less than substantial for the purposes of the policy test set out within the NPPF and the ERLP SD but, in this context, the degree of such harm is not outweighed by the moderate public benefits of the scheme.”
