THE recent publication of Ledbury's draft Neighbourhood Plan, the town's new planning blueprint, has caused a developer, for the first time ever, to withdraw plans for a major new housing estate to the south of the market town.

However, developer Bovis Homes might have been sent back to the drawing board, after withdrawing its planning appeal concerning a proposal for 185 new homes to the south of Leadon Way, but it still has plans for a new estate in Ledbury, and at that location.

And the developer is now planning a new round of talks with local politicians and stakeholders to see what might be done.

The application, submitted by Bovis last December, was not determined by Herefordshire Council within the required timeframe, which led to the developer launching an appeal in April.

But now the appeal has been withdrawn, the initial planning application has effectively been withdrawn also.

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said: "Bovis Homes wrote to the planning inspectorate to withdraw their appeal against non-determination on July 3.

"Withdrawing the appeal has the effect of withdrawing the planning application; if an applicant wishes to promote development on that land, or a part of that land, a new planning application would need to be submitted."

Bovis has revealed that it still has its eyes on the site, although the developer acknowledged that the publication of Ledbury's draft Neighbourhood Plan, which is a planning blueprint for the town for the next two decades, was a factor in its decision to withdraw the appeal, because the chances of gaining planning permission through the appeal had been reduced.

A Bovis spokesman said: "The draft Ledbury Neighbourhood Development Plan was subsequently published for consultation, and was submitted for examination in June 2018. Having reviewed the content of the draft document, Bovis Homes’ view is that emerging policies would adversely impact the likelihood of successfully gaining planning permission via appeal. The appeal has therefore been withdrawn."

But the spokesman added: "We believe our site remains a logical and sustainable location to accommodate Ledbury’s future growth requirements, and will continue to engage with the Neighbourhood Plan group, Ledbury Town Council, Herefordshire Council and local stakeholders in this regard.”

Last December, Bovis submitted an outline planning application for up to 185 homes on land south of Leadon Way, close to where Barratt's new Hawk Rise estate is being built, which will have an access opposite Martin's Way on the Deer Park estate. Hawk Rise could eventually have up to 321 new homes.

The proposed Bovis estate would have been its neighbour.

The Bovis spokesman said: "The proposed scheme was a sensitively designed, landscape-led, sustainable extension to the town, immediately adjacent to the Barratt development site, currently under construction.

"The scheme proposed new walking and cycling routes, a mix of family homes, affordable housing and public open space."

But aspects of the Bovis application raised concerns with Ledbury town councillors, in particular the proposals from Bovis to narrow Gloucester Road, on the approach to the existing Gloucester Road Roundabout, from which there is a turn for Leadon Way.

The narrowing of the road, to achieve traffic calming, would have been accomplished by widening the pavement at one point.

But councillors were worried about the impact on traffic flow, along a busy and important road.

The Bovis plan would also have required a second access roundabout along the Leadon Way stretch of the Ledbury bypass.