Cheshire East Council to challenge Loachbrook Farm appeal decision

The Council will form a lobby with other local authorities to tackle the challenge, it has said.

The planning inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, allowed an appeal against the Council's decision to refuse planning permission for redevelopment of Loachbrook Farm which would provide up to 200 homes, community facilities and associated infrastructure.

The Council had refused planning permission on grounds that the development was unsuitable, posed a threat to the landscape, was unsustainable and that more suitable sites were available elsewhere.

However, the inspector said in his decision report (18-page / 193 KB PDF) that although the development would "locally intrude into the character and appearance" of the area, this was outweighed by the "need to secure a 5-year supply of deliverable housing land that would also contribute to providing affordable and low cost housing."

The proposals would represent a "sustainable development that could achieve a high quality of housing of a suitable mix that would use the land efficiently and effectively," the report said.

“Our towns and villages are under siege from an unprecedented onslaught of unplanned development proposals," said Cheshire East Council leader Michael Jones. "As an authority we are also saddled with unrealistic housing targets from (the) regional planning system. Cheshire East Council recognises this legal action will cost money – but I believe we have no choice but to challenge this ruling."

“We grant permission for over 1,800 homes in one year but find that only 700 or so get built the next. Further, while we are forming our Local Plan, the floodgates are opened by a planning inspector. This could seriously undermine Sandbach, Crewe and Nantwich. This is particularly worrying when there are inconsistencies in decisions being made by the planning inspectorate," Jones said.

“We know that Cheshire East needs more houses. But I want to encourage planned, sustainable development with sufficient infrastructure in place (schools, roads, medical services) and local buy-in. Any change to our greenbelt or green gaps must be supported locally and [kept] to a minimum. We want and need growth to ensure our future prosperity.  But we need to ensure developments are planned properly after listening to local people – and that they reinforce, rather than undermine, our Local Plan, based on a vision that we can all agree," he said.

The Council has said it is already taking steps to deal with the high volume of planning applications it receives. These steps include producing a new Local Plan which promotes growth whilst protecting cherished areas; lobbying Government ministers to ensure the National Planning Policy Framework is interpreted properly at planning appeals with greater emphasis on sustainable development and working with the construction industry to boost home building on sites that are already accepted for development.