More planning questions

On Tuesday, AudlemOnline published a letter from Nick Boles to a planning inspector hearing a planning appeal over land in Gresty Lane in Crewe.

This happened, judging by the date, just as the minister, a merchant banker by trade, was being shifted in the Government reshuffle from his planning duties to become Minister of State jointly for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Education.

There, doubtless he will be encouraging skills for vital businesses for Britain's future such as...erm...Merchant Banking.

In his letter – please click on the PDF to read it in full – Mr Boles requested that Inspector Geoff Hill gives "especial attention to the evidence put forward by all parties on the five year housing land supply position across Cheshire East" in an appeal related to land in Crewe.

The problem has arisen because in the series of decisions by Inspectors appointed to decide planning appeals, some have judged Cheshire East's 5-Year Housing Supply as acceptable, some have not.

As those in Audlem who sat through the lengthy Gladman appeal in May against refusal by Cheshire East to build 120 dwellings at Little Heath will testify, the 5-Year housing supply figure is the focus of these appeals.

But the timing and content of the letter raise a good number of questions, including some we raised on Tuesday:

• Why didn't Mr Boles intervene months ago when different inspectors were coming to different judgements on Cheshire East's 5-Year Housing Supply? This would have saved days of argument at dozens of appeals – and vast sums in lawyers' fees.
• Why intervene seemingly as he was leaving his planning responsibilities behind. Why not let his successor at Planning make that decision? It seems as if Mr Boles signed that letter just as he was leaving his planning office for, hopefully, the last time.
• Why should one Inspector in one case make what appears to be a casting vote on whether Cheshire East has got its housing figures correct or not? Isn't that the job of the inspector who looks at the Local Plan which has been submitted and will be considered in its entirety by the Planning Inspectorate in September?
• If this is so vital, why is the Planning Inspectorate waiting until September, so were are told, when Cheshire East submitted its Local Plan for inspection last month?
• What happens to all the recent judgements in Cheshire East. If the Gresty Lane inspector says there is a sufficient 5-Year Supply, are all the Appeals in the past year that were won on the basis there wasn't a sufficient supply to be over-turned. And vice versa if he decides there isn't.
• Will it make any difference to the lawyers at future appeals who will doubtless continue to quote every case from around the country that suits their case and dismiss every case that doesn't as flawed?
• We understand Hockenhull Developments lawyers predict a 6-day hearing for the Heathfield Road appeal. Will that still be the case if the 5-Year housing supply is decided one way or the other before then? We have been told they want that Appeal to be in January.

Doubtless there are many other questions. But for those that sat through the seven days of the Gladman Inquiry in May, such issues are very important. For those that have to prepare to be witnesses at future Inquiries, the questions are even more important.

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