Shropshire Council wins costs over planning battle

The decision marks the first occasion that Shropshire Council has been awarded money since the authority's Mal Price warned it would pursue costs on what it considered frivolous appeals by developers.

The proposal had been put forward for land near Bayston Hill by Galliers Homes, which later appealed when its scheme was turned down by planning officers.

In its appeal, developers challenged whether the council had a five-year housing land supply – enough land for housing development – and said its scheme should be granted to meet this.

But earlier this year, Government planning inspector Martin Whitehead deemed the council has demonstrated a five-year supply of deliverable housing land, and Shropshire Council warned it would seek costs should any applicant challenge this issue with an appeal.

Councillor Price, portfolio holder for planning, housing, regulatory services and environment, said: "We have to have a five-year land supply and we felt we had the weight now to say that we won't discuss these issues in the future.

"We can't continue to do this. Three years ago we were dealing with 50 appeals in 12 months, now it is somewhere around 150 appeals a year.

"Appeals are right, we are always going to have appeals and lots are arguing about things we should be arguing about, but not things that are set in stone."

He said he hoped this latest decision would act as a deterrent to developers who would continue challenging the housing supply.

Planning inspector Anthony Lyman dismissed the appeal on Monday saying development for up to 39 homes off Gorse Lane would be an "encroachment into the underdeveloped parts of the gap between the village and Shrewsbury".