Planning appeals cost Cheshire West £1m
CHESHIRE West and Chester Council believes planning appeals by developers have cost it around £1m.
Planning inspectors have found against the authority on a number of occasions because it did not have a five-year supply of land.
It has been working on a local plan since 2010 but until this is adopted it says policy is governed by a housing target based on “out-of-date” evidence in a 2003 regional plan.
The £1m is made up of the authority’s own £268,000 in legal costs, administrative fees and developers’ costs it has been ordered to pay.
Council leader Mike Jones: “Our planning officers can only make recommendations based within current planning policies and guidance. There is little flexibility for them to reflect the views of the local community if the grounds for opposition fall outside these parameters.
“However, elected members of all parties have understandably listened carefully to local communities affected by these developments and rejected applications which have subsequently been allowed on appeal. Sadly, the reality of the situation is that council support for members at appeal has been heavily and in my view unfairly punished financially – in some respects, the heavy price of democracy.
“The way to address this situation is by putting in place an up-to-date local plan – and that’s exactly what the council is doing. Our local plan is now at its final examination stage and we hope to be in a position to adopt it late summer.”
Cheshire West and Chester’s local plan identifies that 22,000 new homes should be built by 2030. Consents are already in the pipeline for more than 10,000 new homes.
Tattenhall’s Neighbourhood Plan, which would limit developments to no more 30 houses, is to be subject to Judicial Review, opening on March 24, after a legal challenge by developers Barratt Homes and Wainhomes.
