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Plans for eco-house in Whitwell refused by Rutland County Council planning officers




Plans for a £400,000 eco-home have been refused by planning officers after being deemed ‘unacceptable’.

June Titterton-Fox, who lives in Whitwell, applied for permission to create a single-storey, three-bedroom home dug into one of two fields she owns in the village.

Describing it as a ‘21st Century farmhouse’, she claimed it would have been one of the most energy-efficient properties in the UK with its own water supply, waste sorted out on site, and excess power sold back to the grid.

An artist’s impression of ‘Field House’ in Whitwell
An artist’s impression of ‘Field House’ in Whitwell

The proposal was set to be put in front of Rutland county councillors at a planning committee meeting in February, but the decision was deferred.

This week, planning officers used delegated powers to refuse the application which means it will not be debated by councillors.

In the document stating plans had been refused, officers said the development would “be visually intrusive and impact adversely on the form and character of the area” and while weight should be given to innovative designs which promote high levels of sustainability it “is only so long as the development fits in with the overall form and layout of their surroundings.”

They added: “The proposed development will neither preserve nor enhance the character or appearance of the Whitwell conservation area and its ensemble of designated heritage assets, in particular the setting of the Grade II Church of St Michael, a heritage asset of more than special interest.

“Nor can the proposed development be considered to have a neutral impact.

“The harm that would be caused is not justified and the wider public benefits of the scheme would not outweigh this harm.”

A number of residents had previously lodged objections to the application for ‘Field House’ claiming it would be a “blot on the landscape”.

Following the refusal of the application, there is a six month period in which June can choose to appeal to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government about the decision.

June, who is herself a Conservative Rutland county councillor representing the Exton ward, said: “I am naturally very disappointed with the decision the planning department has made, and so I will need some time to evaluate their comments before deciding what action, if any, I might take.”



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