Eco house plan is rejected on appeal (From Salisbury Journal)

Eco house plan is rejected on appeal

10:00am Sunday 24th February 2013 in New Forest News By Miranda Robertson

A COUPLE from Fordingbridge have been left disappointed after their plan to build an eco home was turned down on appeal.

Ian and Dawn Lemon unveiled ambitious plans to build a large eco-house behind a listed building in Church Street in 2011.

Their plans, for a modern three-storey home in the grounds of the Old Manor House, sparked a 55-name petition, and objectors attending a meeting of the district council’s planning committee branded the scheme a “disaster” that would destroy a valuable green space.

The plan also came under fire from several members of the committee.

Now planning inspector Jennifer Armstrong has also rejected the plan, saying the nine-metre-high and seven-metre-wide circular home with a two-storey flat roofed section attached would be “intrusive” and “inappropriate” for the area.

She added that “the plans indicate an interesting and innovative design with the potential to achieve high levels of energy efficiency”.

But concluded that the building would be “harmful to the wider character and appearance of the conservation area”.

She also said that as the circular building was only two metres from the boundary of 20 Church Street it would have “a most overbearing impact on the occupants of this property”.

The couple spent 12 months designing the low-impact house, with sustainable oak cladding and a wild meadow roof, triple-glazing and a green wall.

When the plans were submitted and the backlash started Mr Lemon said: “The architects at Relph Ross Partnership have, I believe, designed a credible building that is both visually interesting and, more importantly, environmentally sound both in its construction methods and the way in which it works.

“While I understand that some people might find the design challenging, it does not seem to be in conflict with any planning policies.

“Perhaps people are so used to seeing brick boxes with pointy roofs that they are shaken by the notion of anything different.”