PERMISSION has been refused for a house to be built near Cradley.

Robert and Kath Cross sought approval to pitch the property adjacent to their Stone House home in Ridgeway Cross.

However, councillors turned down the proposal after hearing that it represents 'unjustifiable, unacceptable and unsustainable' residential development in an open countryside location contrary to Herefordshire Unitary Development (UDP) policies and the sustainable development aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).