Holmer trading estate plan is turned down

3:00pm Monday 15th September 2008

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TRADERS facing eviction under expansion plans for a Hereford industrial estate are staying put after county councillors said no to developers.

Businesses at the Holmer Road Trading Estate had been waiting for a decision since last May, when Hereford Residential Developments Limited (HDL) applied to build more than 100 commercial and residential properties off College Road.

The decision had been delayed by two months after some firms claimed they were not offered relocation, despite HDL insisting the scheme was well advertised and that most traders had found new homes.

Councillor Brian Wilcox urged Herefordshire Council’s central area planning committee to consider the benefits of the scheme, especially as those behind the Edgar Street Grid (ESG) development had expressed interest in relocating businesses affected there to the Holmer Road site.

“Over the next three years there are going to be relocations from the ESG area and we have to look at the north of the city as a whole,” he said.

But Councillor Nick Vaughan’s point that mixed use was inappropriate on land earmarked for employment was backed by the committee. The plans were refused because they went against planning policy.