MP's letter to Little Heath Inquiry

We understand some readers have had difficulty opening the Stephen O'Brien letter to the Little Heath Inquiry – see our report of yesterday's proceedings – so we have now removed it and we are putting the letter up below as a separate news story.

To the Planning Inspector

As the local Member of Parliament I regret I am unable to attend the Public Inquiry in person due to commitments in Westminster and elsewhere in my constituency. However, this statement serves to go on the record in these proceedings as my unequivocal objection to this planning appeal by Gladman Developments, to develop 120 dwellings at Little Heath on land west of Audlem Road, Audlem, CW3 0HE.

I am on record as opposing this application at each stage of the planning process, and having objected to the fresh application lodged in tandem with this appeal – 13/3746N. I confirm my 100% agreement with all the objections put forward by Audlem Parish Council, Cheshire East Council including its Principal Planning Officer, Mr Ben Haywood, local councillors and the community collectively and each individual resident.

This development, situated in open countryside, is not sustainable, is not based on the justification of satisfying local housing needs (as the configuration of new housing a village like Audlem needs is "affordable", not as proposed by Gladman seeking to maximise profits), is on a wholly unnecessary mass and scale, and has been made speculatively and prematurely by the developers.

Under the clear recent Ministerial pronouncements, the Inspector should be guided by these in terms of prematurity, emerging law, emerging local plans and the need to commit to the expensive increase in community infrastructure before any residential build or receipt of monies by developers so that all the financial risk for the destruction of local amenity and community infrastructure and value falls on the developer as they seek to gain vast opportunistic profits in destroying the essence of the unbridled community cohesion that defines Audlem.

My constituents deserve support for their extraordinary commitment to their community with its exemplary, balanced mutual support, care and values – if this Appeal is allowed, it is no exaggeration that all this would be put irrevocably in jeopardy.

Yours sincerely
Rt Hon. Stephen O'Brien MP

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