Burghley House Preservation Trust’s plans for 11 homes in Collyweston dismissed at appeal by Secretary of State

Plans to knock down two buildings and replace them with 11 new homes have been dismissed at appeal.

Burghley House Preservation Trust, based in Stamford, submitted outline plans for a housing development in The Drove, Collyweston to North Northamptonshire Council in 2022.

The trust wanted to build 11 new homes, which vary between three, four and five-bedroom properties, all with off-street parking and create a footpath to The Collyweston Slater pub.

The site covers just under one hectare and currently has two residential properties, which under the plans would have been demolished, garden land and unused scrub land.

“The site is currently unkempt and is detrimental to the overall character of the street scene,” said the applicant in the design and access statement.

“In addition to radically enhancing the overall appearance of the area, the scheme seeks to provide an area of open space on the site frontage. This would be offered to the parish for adoption at no cost.”

After North Northamptonshire Council failed to make a decision, the application was referred to the Secretary of State but it was dismissed by an inspector.

While they noted the site is in a suitable location for a new small-scale residential development, the inspector said it failed to demonstrate how trees would be retained and protected or how the significant loss of habitat would be compensated for.