A plan for 15 new houses that will “change the character” of a Herefordshire village has taken a step closer.

Fifteen months ago, Carrie Francis applied for outline permission for the homes on 1.4 acres of land west of Little Dewchurch, midway between Hereford and Ross-on-Wye.

Five of the 15 were to be affordable homes of mixed tenure, their price guided by local incomes and house prices, with priority given to locals.

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Little Dewchurch Parish Council objected, saying smaller houses including bungalows, and a sixth affordable house, “would better suit the aspirations of the parish”, and also put forward concerns over road safety, parking and drainage.

Planning officer Ollie Jones acknowledged the proposal would “change the character” of the village, and would have “some limited potential environmental impact”.

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But it was in line with the development plan for Little Dewchurch, which “affords reasonable access to a range of service and facilities”.

The road network “can safely absorb the additional traffic”, and the new homes proposal as it stood “would meet identified local needs”, he concluded.

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Among the 20 conditions with the planning approval are requirements to minimise outdoor lighting, as well as on drainage and road layout.

The developer must also make a contribution to local transport, to the village primary school, to open space and play facilities in the village, and to pay for new waste and recycling.

A further application setting out in detail the design and layout of the houses and surrounding area must be submitted within three years.