Plans for 12 self-build homes at a former farm have been thrown out for the second time, with boffins at Jodrell Bank claiming it would interfere with their ability to receive radio signals from space.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning officers have rejected an outline application for the site at Crown Inn Farm on Crown Lane, Nether Peover. Similar proposals were knocked back in February, 2021.

The site is located partly within the village of Swan Green, Nether Peover, and partly within the open countryside. It features a number of buildings but stopped operating as a farm in 2014. But it is occasionally used as storage and for the parking of vans.

If given the go ahead, the farmhouse and agricultural buildings would have been demolished to make way for the new plots.

But planning officers have now thrown out the scheme - submitted by Beluga Consultants on behalf of the applicant. Among those objecting to the plans was Jodrell Bank observatory.

A report to the council said equipment commonly used at residential dwellings causes radio frequency interference that can impair the efficient operation of the radio telescope.

A refusal decision issued by the council, said: “Jodrell Bank have advised that they object to this development in order to protect the telescope, and because this specific development will impact on the efficiency of the telescope in terms of its ability to receive radio emissions from space. with a minimum of interference from electrical equipment."

The published decision conceded that the proposals would have delivered new homes and provided some employment in the construction of jobs and spending by local residents, albeit ‘limited' due to its location.

But it added: “In environmental terms the site is located within an unsustainable location in the open countryside."

The decision also said the proposed development would have resulted in 'unavoidable damage to protected species', adding: "The proposed development would impair the efficiency of the Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope.

"Considering this direct policy conflict and the international importance of the Jodrell Bank Radio telescope, this is added as a reason for refusal on the application."