Planning inspector allows 2,000-home Cheshire urban extension on appeal

Developer Redrow Homes NW (Redrow) was initially refused outline planning permission for the scheme by Cheshire West and Chester Council in July 2013. However, by the time the developer's appeal was heard in July 2015, the Council had adopted a local plan allocating the site for an urban extension fitting the description in the outline plans.

Allowing the appeal last month, planning inspector Christine Thorby said the Council was now "satisfied that subject to appropriate conditions and planning obligations the proposed scheme was acceptable" and noted that "the Council did not formally present evidence or cross examine the appellant's witnesses" at the appeal hearing.

The inspector said the scheme was "part of the planned housing identified [in the adopted local plan] as a substantial urban extension to the town". Thorby said Redrow's illustrative plans for the site showed a "garden suburb style neighbourhood" with a "high quality residential environment" could be delivered.

In line with local policy requirements, the Redrow proposal included a new primary school, retail floor space for a local shop and a new community building. The inspector was satisfied that the proposed provision of 25% affordable homes in the development was "appropriate given other infrastructure commitments".

Thorby acknowledged that allowing the development would result in the loss of agricultural land and change the character and appearance of the area from a rural to an urban environment. However, the inspector said the local plan "accepts the consequential loss of open, rural and agricultural land" and "recognises that the land has a more important role to play as part of the wider strategic consideration for the provision of housing within Cheshire West and Chester as a whole".

The inspector was also satisfied that there would be "no adverse effect on the transport network or highway safety" under the scheme and that the "substantial benefits of the scheme", including supporting economic growth and the delivery of housing, would outweigh any harm caused to local biodiversity.