A CLOSED-DOWN garden centre near Ledbury will be demolished to make way for more than a dozen homes, sparking hopes it will help village businesses thrive.

Badminton Developments Ltd And Rockfield Property Group have been given the go-ahead to redevelop the site at the former Staunton and Corse garden centre, around eight miles from the town.

Forest of Dean District Council’s development management committee considered the proposals to demolish the garden centre and build 16 homes with parking at the Ledbury Road site in Staunton on April 11.

OTHER NEWS:

Officers said the proposals, which include a mixture of one-bed flats and two, three and four-bedroomed houses, should be permitted despite the land falling outside the settlement boundary due to the council’s need for more housing.

Colin Danks, speaking on behalf of the applicant, called on the committee to approve the proposals.

He said: “We have worked for two and a half years with officers. We started with pre-application submissions and have gone through multiple changes to get to the scheme we have now.

“I hope that shows it responds very positively to the local area.”

OTHER NEWS:

Ward councillor Philip Burford (I, Hartpury and Redmarley) said he previously had grave concerns about the site being used for housing.

But he believes it is a great example of how housing can be put on sites which need better use. He commended planning officer Roland Close for his work on the proposals.

“I have no problem with it whatsoever at all. The cherry on the cake is that the local convenience store is likely to be reopening soon.

“I would like to see the local pub reopen as well and then this part of the village would be properly fixed. It would be great.”

Councillor Julia Gooch (Progressive Independents, Newent and Taynton) proposed approving the scheme and this was seconded by Coun Simon Phelps (I, Westbury-on-Severn).

The committee voted unanimously to approve the proposals.