The majority of the site falls within flood zone 3 as identified by the Environment Agency as having a high probability of flooding. It is national and local policy that development should be directed away from areas at the highest risk of flooding and that if there are reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas with a lower probability of flooding that development should not be permitted. No sequential test has been submitted and the local planning authority considers that there are reasonably available sites, within the Principal Urban Area, Loughborough, Shepshed and the other service centres within the Borough that could accommodate the proposed scale of development, on land which is identified as being at lesser or no risk of flooding and which would be sequentially preferable. Accordingly, the proposal conflicts with advice given in the National Planning Policy Framework (paragraphs 100-101) and is contrary to policy CS16 of the Charnwood Local Plan 2011-2028 Core Strategy which require new development to be steered towards locations that are at the lowest level of flood risk.

The local planning authority considers that, by reason of its design, scale and location, the proposed extension and conversion of the existing outbuilding to a dwelling would substantially and detrimentally affect the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. It would also appear intrusive in the street scene as viewed from the Grade II listed Maltings and its re-development to the north, to the detriment of visual amenity. In these respects, the proposal is contrary to Policies CS2, CS16 and CS25 of the Charnwood Local Plan (2011-2028) Core Strategy and Policy EV/1 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan. These seek to ensure that development is sustainable and that it appropriately considers heritage assets and their settings.

The scheme makes no mention of, or provision for the retention of, trees on or near the site. The overall landscaping of the development should evolve with the design and, although existing trees are large and extremely close to the existing building, these existing landscape features which also contribute to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, do not appear to have been taken into account in the design of the proposal. The proposal is thereby contrary to Policies CS2 and CS25 of the Charnwood Local Plan (2011-2028) Core Strategy and Policy EV/1 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan.

The local planning authority considers that, due to the height, design and proximity of the resultant building, the proposed dwelling would have an unreasonably over-dominant and over-shadowing impact, giving rise to the losses of light and sunlight and privacy to the principal windows of first floor flats on the rear of 22a and 24 High Street to the detriment of the residential amenity of its occupiers. The proposal is, therefore, contrary to the provisions of Policy ST/2 of the Charnwood Local Plan (2011-2028) Core Strategy and Policy EV/1 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan and the Council's adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance Leading in Design.