A planned 350-home estate at a sensitive spot the eastern edge of Hereford would hit its neighbours in many ways, local representatives claim.

Hampton Bishop parish, in which the proposed estate would sit, “listened to the concerns of huge numbers of local residents and unanimously agreed to engage planning consultants to produce a strong objection to it”, parish council chair Coun Steve Hunt said.

The proposal is against national and county planning policy in that the site is not earmarked for development, and is “not a sustainable location in transport terms”, the 25-page report now says.

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On 25 hectares of farmland sloping gently down to the Lugg Meadow and away from the city, it would also “impact on the landscape character in a highly sensitive location”, with even distant views “severely affected”.

And it would significantly harm the meadow’s “biodiversity of national significance”.

A key document is the Hampton Bishop neighbourhood development plan (NDP) which sets priorities and guidance for building in the parish.

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Adopted in 2019, it says the parish’s “idyllic rural setting” is “under significant and constant threat from proposals for development on the edge of Hereford” – some of which have already been granted that will have “enormous impact” on it.

“Objective 1” of the NDP is to ensure any development reduces drainage and flooding problems in and around Hampton Bishop village downstream, where a flood bank “has one-in-25-years protection value”, it says.

But the parish now claims the planned estate could make this problem worse, while any extra flood defences brought in could cause “irreparable damage” to the meadows and river.

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Councillors from Bartestree with Lugwardine parish immediately to the north and east of the site also give 13 reasons for objecting to the plan.

Among these are the lack of projects to upgrade local roads, schools or health facilities, and also a lack of “smaller starter homes” for young locals within the estate.

And it would mean the parish losing “a locally very distinct landscape” to a view of “urban character”.

Hereford city councillors meanwhile said they are “uncomfortable” with the plans, calling for much more information to be made available “on such a large development of a sensitive site”, which lies on the “natural boundary” of the city.

The Hereford Times Our Precious Meadow campaign calls for the scheme to be thrown out because, among other reasons, we believe it compromises the meadow, which is an important asset to Hereford.