Cobbs Farm play barn thwarted again

The application enjoyed widespread public support and the latest plans were endorsed by Hungerford Town Council.
However, planners have repeatedly rejected proposals for an indoor play barn at the Bath Road site.
While an appeal to Her Majesty’s Planning Inspectorate elicited the concession that the project had public support, the inspector nevertheless upheld planners’ original decision.
In his ruling last year HM Planning Inspector Richard McCoy, stated: “The main issues are the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area which is located within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and whether the proposal would be suited to this location having regard to local policy on economic development in the rural area.”
Cobbs Farm Shop and Kitchen is owned by Country Food and Dining Co Ltd, whose director is Tom Newey and whose executive chairman is David Bruce.
The decision will be a bitter blow to both.
Last December Mr Newey said: “Despite the bitterly disappointing result of our last efforts at securing planning permission for a play barn at Cobbs, we’ve decided to do it all again.
“We have taken time to really try to understand the reasons for the historical refusal and address them in this new application.”
Mr Newey said of the latest application: “One over-riding theme on the last application was a preference from the local authority to see us trying to integrate this proposed facility into the existing building and that is exactly what this application does.
“Our application focuses on a conversion of the existing upstairs space and a small extension to the side of the building that would be essential to provide a space that was practically workable for this type of facility.”
However, this time round, planners cited “sustainability” as their key issue, noting: “Customer access to the site would be, almost without exception, made by car…any opportunities for staff travel by walking, cycling, or by bus would appear to be very limited.”
In addition, they state: “The justification of the need for a soft play centre in the Hungerford area has been made following a series of interviews undertaken in the town centre. If there is a need for such a facility in the locality, then it would be best suited to a site within the Hungerford urban area since this would offer both staff and visitors greater opportunities to travel to and from the site by sustainable means.”
They warn owners: “It is considered that the site has reached its potential in terms of the amount of built form on the site.”