Builders attack neighbourhood plans

We understand that notice has been given of a Judicial Review of the Minister of State's recent ruling about Neighbourhood plans, put together by a consortium of building companies.

The Written Ministerial Statement issued on 12 December 2016 by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning and Minister for London, the Right Honourable Gavin Barwell, MP, on 13th December 2016, included the paragraph
"In the written ministerial statement, I made it clear that from yesterday, where communities plan for housing in their area in a neighbourhood plan, those plans should not be deemed out of date unless there is a significant lack of land supply--that is, under three years. That applies to all plans for the next two years, and for the first two years of any plan that is put into place. That will give a degree of protection that has not been available. The message needs to go out clearly from this House that local authorities must get up-to-date plans in place to provide that protection for neighbourhood plans. I hope that that reassures people. As I said, I have written both to the Planning Inspectorate and to local councils on that issue."

This appears to provide some degree of protection for those communities who have managed to get approved (i.e. "made") Neighbourhood Plans in place,

This consortium is attempting to overturn this and other provisos in various Ministerial statements, and this would inevitably weaken the protection that a Neighbourhood Plan can give to communities such as Audlem. The text of the JUDICIAL REVIEW PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL LETTER can be seen by clicking on the link below the photo.

If the various appeals to do with the Gladman development in Audlem are anything to go by, the process of considering this judicial review will be lengthy, highly technical, and difficult to understand.

The consortium of eighteen builders and land development companies currently comprises
Richborough Estates Limited
Redrow Homes Limited.
Linden Homes Limited
Wainhomes
William Davis Limited
Martin Grant Homes Limited,
Acorn Property Group
North Oak Homes Limited
Bargate Homes Limited
Larkfleet Limited
Beechcroft Land Limited
F. W. Johnsons Limited
I.M. Properties Limited
Catesby Estates Limited
Welbeck Land
Waddeton Park Limited
South West Developments Limited.
Allaston Developments Limited
....although others are joining on a "daily" basis.

A comment received from Heather Jones, chairman of our local parish Council, reinforces the concern that builders wish to ignore the wishes of local communities expressed in their neighbourhood plans:
"This is another overt attempt by developers and builders to undermine any attempt at community involvement in planning especially where there is no agreed 5 year housing land supply. Neighbourhood Plans were designed to give some power back to towns and villages in the UK. It seems that despite many communities having spent many hours in determining and consulting on what they want for their areas, developers are now challenging the criteria. This legal challenge shows that developers want to build dwellings where they choose, not where they are needed.
Audlem Parish Council has been lobbying our MP and Cheshire East to ensure that Neighbourhood Plans- with or without site allocations- are fully supported by both Local Planning Authorities and the government."

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