Gladman Inquiry: Day 7 of 6

As we trooped back into the Carlsberg Suite yesterday morning at Crewe Alex in glorious sunshine, those that had been ensconced there all week wondered if we may just have missed the entire Summer of 2014

This was an extra day as the Inquiry had not quite finished in the forecast six days but, mercifully for the attendees suffering Vitamin D deficiency, we were out again in just about an hour. The day's business consisted almost solely of Cheshire East's Anthony Crean QC delivering his closing statement.

For those regular readers infuriated by the lack of detail in AudlemOnline's reports over the past six days, lacking the blow by blow commentary we promised as we lapsed into impressionistic musings about events interspersed with teasingly malicious sideswipes at any witness that caught our fancy, all will be put right today.

To your right, you will find Mr Crean's closing statement which expertly sums up Cheshire East's case. Fortunately, none of it is over complex, as he noted in his preamble addressed to the Inspector suggesting there should be few problems with it: "You, Ma'am, are very bright and I am extremely lucid."

Mr John Barrett, councel to Gladman Developments, had opened by saying: "A lifetime ago, when this Inquiry started......." after which we all had to resist shouting "Hear, Hear." He then mentioned a rebuttal of a rebuttal, or was it a rebuttal of a rebuttal of a rebuttal, and our admiration for the legal profession soared to new heights.

He then said that he preferred not to deliver his closing statement orally but it will be submitted by next Tuesday and Mr Crean will have a chance for a day after that to make any changes to his statement published here – click on the link below the site plan. It is just 33 pages long.*

This meant an early closing to proceedings, with thanks to all attending from the Inspector. At this stage we do not know how long it will be before we have a decision.

As an aside, we must say a 'Thank You' to those witnesses who told your correspondent that they had read our reports and had taken them in good humour and to Cheshire East's legal team who have been unfailingly helpful in providing information and clarification.

And so, on The Seventh Day..............it was all over. But for the Report!

*A few translations of initials and acronyms in Mr Crean's statement might be helpful:

OAN: Objectively Assessed Need
SN: Stephen Nicol: Gladman's witness on Housing Need
AF: Adrian Fisher: Cheshire East's Head of Planning
JM: John MacKenzie: Gladman's witness on Housing Land Supply
SOCG: Statements of Common Ground (where the two sides agree)
RSS: Regional Spatial Strategy
NWRS: North West Regional Strategy
The underlined references are to other planning decisions around the country.
EIP: Sorry, we didn't know that one but we do now (pm today) thanks to Andrew Needham. It's Examination in Public
CELP: Cheshire East Local Plan
CEC: Cheshire East Council
PPG and NPPG and NPPF: National Planning Policy Guidelines or Framework
ONS: Office of National Statistics
C2: A classification of housing that includes sheltered accommodation and students' accommodation.
HLS: Housing Land Supply
B&MV: Best & Most Valuable (Agricultural Land)

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