Why so many are opposing this new Hereford housing scheme

The planning application by local developer STL Group seeks full permission to build on 25 hectares of farmland south of the A438 Ledbury Road, between the city’s current eastern edge and the Lugg Meadows nature reserve.

But 147 public objections to the plan have so far been published on Herefordshire Council’s planning webpage, with none in support, following a local leafleting campaign and active Facebook group opposing it.

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Recurring themes in the objections are the likely impact on the reserve, a site of special scientific interest (SSSI); the perceived increase in local flood risk; the capacity of local services to cope; and the effect on traffic locally.

Merilyn Davies, resident of nearby Bartestree, worried about the impact of the estate of the “seemingly permanently flooded Lugg flats”.

And Glynis Knott of Hereford said the city’s healthcare infrastructure “is already overstretched”.

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The RSPB objected that the scheme would cause “irreversible damage to the protected and nationally important biodiversity” of the SSSI.

And local wildlife surveyor Stephen Watkins said any damage to the meadows “will cause the curlew to leave, and if that happens, I think we will see the end of curlews in the county”.

Government advisory body Active Travel England meanwhile objected that the scheme would not “enable, encourage and embed active travel” and asked for more proposals to “encourage modal shift to walking, wheeling and cycling to central Hereford and the surrounding area”.

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Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

And Welsh Water said the local fresh water supply “has insufficient capacity to serve the development”, meaning the supply to existing households would be hit.

The existing sewerage system also lacks capacity, meaning the scheme could impact on existing customers and on the environment, Welsh Water said.

Comments via the planning webpage close on Wednesday (April 17) with a decision on the application due in June.