Gladman sets out appeal strategy

Gladman Developments has set out the main issues on how it intends to fight its planning appeal against Cheshire East Council.

Details are spelt out in its 'Grounds of Appeal' statement to Planning Inspector Stephen Heyward who is to hear the appeal early next year.

Gladman has gone to appeal over the non-determination by Cheshire East of its outline planning application to build up to 120 homes on land at Little Heath.

As expected Gladman will claim that the borough's housing policies are out of date and that it cannot demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites, accusing the council of a "chronic shortage" of housing.

It claims that the council's emerging Local Plan identifies Audlem as a sustainable location for future growth.

And it alleges that the village settlement boundaries in the Local Plan that were tightly defined to accommodate housing commitments up to 2011 are now out of date in absolute terms and that there are now new targets for housebuilding that require a minimum of 8,100 dwellings to be built in the North West by 2021.

"It is clear that to accommodate this level of growth, Audlem will inevitably require the development of greenfield housing sites outside the previous settlement boundaries." says the statement

Gladman will also claim that their proposals have a number of material benefits for Audlem that include the provision of a range of traditional family housing and the inclusion of 30% affordable housing on the site.

It also says its proposals will provide open space and recreational areas on land "where the public at present has no legal access beyond a public path"; opportunities to enhance the biodiversity of the area and a £1.1million new homes bonus for the council as well as support for local services through any Section 106 Agreement.

Gladman tells the inspector it intends to provide expert evidence to the appeal hearing, not only on the inadequacy of the council's housing land supply but also on a range of topics including highways and transport, landscape, urban design, affordable housing and planning.

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