Plans to extend a Dalehouse Lane barn right next to HS2 have been 'ridiculously' thrown out for a second time due to their impact on the rural character of the building.

After a lengthy discussion at this week's Warwick District Council planning committee meeting, councillors were split over the decision, but said that Hope Barn - which is 50m away from the high speed rail line - should not be altered.

Officers had recommended that the proposals be refused but the application was brought to the committee due the number of supporting comments from the public.

Cllr Rob Barry, who spoke on behalf of Kenilworth Town Council's planning committee, which supported the application, urged members to go against the recommendation.

"The [KTC] committee is formed entirely of Kenilworth residents and the committee is therefore fully aware of the negative impacts arising from the construction of HS2, including the destruction of a large swathe of green belt," he said.

The HS2 line passes 50m from the boundary of the site (Image via HS2)

"The applicant, having had their property blighted by HS2, is now looking to develop the property for their occupation in the long term.

"For this reason, noting the changes to the built appearance in this resubmission, the [KTC] planning committee supports this application in that they believe this is an exceptional case due the impact of HS2 on the site.

"As the officers' report states this extension detracts from the original rural character and appearance of the building. We believe that the original rural character of the area has been severely detracted by HS2 - a factor that the published officers' report seems to overlook."

But Cllr Terry Morris, who did say that the officers had been inconsistent with their planning policies, said the fact that HS2 was nearby did not matter.

"By the way, proximity to HS2 is irrelevant - I'll just get that one out for members who haven't been on the planning committee for very long time," he said.

"It doesn't matter whether there is anything else nearby that is damaging to the green belt, this is the application as it stands."

And business manager Rob Young said approving the application could set a dangerous precedent.

"I think you have to be careful that there is an exceptional reason and I think exceptional means that it wouldn't apply in many cases," he explained.

"I think in this case, if we were making the exception based on the fact that HS2, a major piece of infrastructure, runs nearby I think that would apply in a lot of cases."

Cllr James Kennedy added: "Even though there is a socking great railway and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of concrete and everything else going through, it still counts as green belt?

"So you can build whatever you like in the green belt as long as its a road, or a railway, or an airport or anything like that?"

The committee rejected the application by eight votes to two.

And at last night's Kenilworth Town Council planning meeting Cllr Barry commented on the decision saying he thought the committee should have shown leniency.

Other councillors branded the decision as 'ridiculous'.