A planning application for four houses at a brownfield site has been approved at the second go around.

Savills submitted a permission in principle application for the homes to be built at Grove Lodge, Chandlers Cross in June.

Despite Hertfordshire Highways and Sarratt Parish Council objecting to building there, the scheme was approved last week and so the developer can get to work if it is able to have a further bid for “technical details consent” approved in the next three years.

The site, off Fir Tree Hill, currently contains a main house, swimming pool, greenhouse, stable block, workshop, two barns, and two bungalows. Of these, only the main house, swimming pool, and greenhouse would be maintained.

A previous proposal to build four homes there was refused in January, this year, because the site was not viewed as a sustainable location. However, prior approval was then signed off for an additional floor with one flat to be built above each bungalow.

The application site Grove Lodge, Chandlers Cross (Image: Google Maps/Street View)

Based on this, the applicant argued that building four homes would not increase the number of homes on the site and therefore the previous reason for refusal had been overcome.

Sarratt Parish Council said it supported using the brownfield site to build homes but wanted smaller, affordable houses to meet local need. Hertfordshire Highways maintained its concerns over the lack of sustainable travel options from the previous application.

Grove Lodge, Chandlers Cross (Image: Google Maps/Street View)