Plans to build seven houses on scrubland in Hatton which would have had a "harmful impact" on an ancient woodland have been blocked by the district council.

Developer KACH Capital Estates had applied to build a mix of three to five bed houses on land off Charingworth Drive, backing onto Smith's Covert.

Previous plans to develop the site had been withdrawn in June 2020 due to local wildlife concerns.

But now Warwick District Council has thrown out the scheme citing a number of different issues.

"The proposed development would result in the loss of an area of open space which has public visual amenity value," a council report said. 

"It has not been demonstrated that an alternative can be provided or that there is a robust assessment demonstrating a lack of need for the asset currently or in the future."

KACH, which bought the green belt land from Bovis Homes, said the houses would not having impacted Smith's Covert, stating that adequate space had been left behind the development.

The Milton Keynes-based firm also said the houses would improve the look of the street, "replacing an area of scrub with a high-quality development which complements the surrounding area".

The application added: "New tree planting is proposed along the frontage with Charingworth Drive to further enhance the streetscape, with the development also not being of a scale to comprise the vegetated skyline offered by the ancient woodland."

But with 34 members of the public objecting to the scheme, it was refused permission last week.

As well as raising concerns about the lack of information on protected species, biodiversity and loss of habitats, the council said the houses would simply block the woods from view.

"Smith's Covert, which consists of ancient woodland, contributes to the irregular settlement outline, typical of development within a rural setting, and helps to tie the housing estate into the wider more rural landscape setting," the council report added.

"The proposed dwellings, a closely grouped mix of two and 2.5 storey buildings and adjoining garages, will create a continuous development line that will mainly screen the woodland edge from public viewpoints. 

"This is considered to have a harmful impact on the setting of the woodland, by enclosing views of the woodland and diminishing its presence as an important landscape feature, detracting from the verdant, tranquil nature of the area."

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