PLANS have been put forward to build nine homes in Hopwood on greenbelt land.

It is proposed to demolish the main four bed house at Bridge Farm on Bittell Farm Road and erect five one bedroom and four two-bedroom single storey dwellings to add to the three existing dwellings in the grounds.

The planning statements states “The applicants, who are Stephen and Martin Hall, need to fund the fees for Martin’s care home as he suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

“Since he is only 61, the applicants are keen to self-fund for as long as possible to avoid burdening the Local Authority.

“Stephen Hall would downsize and live in one of the units proposed in this application.”

The new housing will be focused on ‘senior citizens and community housing needs’ but could be ‘available for young couples who, within a community such as this, can complement the more elderly residents with assistance, shopping etc.’

Some of the houses will have two single bedrooms as ‘research shows that there is a mixed demand for not only retired couples to have separate bedrooms, but also there may be a requirement for same sex couples.’

Acknowledging the proposals are situated on greenbelt, the design and access statement says the development will have a 'farmyard idiom' to maintain the theme of the current buildings and landscape.