The controversial scheme to build 87 houses at Tanyard Lane, which is part of the designated housing in Herefordshire's UDP, has been granted permission by planners. Councillors at the meeting of the Southern Area Planning Sub-committee, held in Hereford on April 2nd, agreed to pedestrian and cycle access only via Tanyard Lane. The vehicular entrance to the development would be via a new roundabout sited on the A40 Ross relief road. A speaker put the case for concerned residents of Arundel Close who were concerned about pedestrian access through the quiet tidy cul-de- sac. An objection had also been received from a manufacturing company in Tanyard Lane which "penetrates noise and other actions not compatible with residential dwellings. Residents to the north of the site were anxious that the hedge between their homes and the development be maintained. Councillor Phil Cutter acknowledged the concerns of residents, he said: "This is a significant development for Ross which will have quite an impact on local services, medical services, educational services and policing. This impact is something that councillors, and other authorities must look into." He said that the pedestrian access issues and the hedge between the two estates must be resolved. He added: "Residents in that area have been in a very peaceful environment for a number of years. An application of this size is always going to have problems. I think local members should meet every six weeks on site with planning officers and the developers to raise any problems and make sure local members know what is going on." Planning officer, Steven Holder, said that the responsibility for maintaining the hedge would belong to the house-holders on either side of it. He said normally conditions about landscaping have to last for five years and after that the hedge would be the responsibility of the individual owners. Councillor Anne Gray raised the issue of the provision of a play areas and the safety issues of the lake to the south of the site. Mr Holder said that it was possible that a large play are could be sited elsewhere. Councillor John Jarvis requested that the affordable housing in the development should be for people from Ross first, then from the surrounding parishes, and then from Herefordshire as a whole.
