Refusal for Shropshire village homes plan is overturned

Plans to build the homes in Norton-in-Hales, near Market Drayton, were thrown out by members of Shropshire Council's north planning committee in December last year.

But, following an appeal, Shropshire Council's reason for refusing to permit the development off Chapel Lane has been described as "evidently vague" by planning inspector Jonathan Manning.

He allowed the appeal and awarded costs to applicant Peter Eardley, saying the council refused a development which "should clearly have been permitted".

During public consultation Shropshire Council received about 30 letters of objection and a petition from residents. They also raised concerns about there not being a demand for the housing in the area and access to the site being poor.

Suzanne Tucker, Mr Eardley's solicitor, said Mr Eardley was keen to develop a housing scheme which offered the opportunity for young families to stay in the village.

She said: "The planning inspector considered the main issues of the appeal to be the effect on the local roads and whether the site was a suitable location for new housing, having regard to national and local planning policies relating to new housing in rural areas, including Shropshire Council's emerging Site Allocations and Management of Development (SAMDev) Plan.

"He found that highway improvements as part of the appeal would be a benefit to the scheme and that even though the homes would be outside the development boundary for the village, the proposal fulfils the roles of sustainable development as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework."

The inspector's report also found that the council's appeal evidence on highway matters was not supported by "any objective analysis".

Shropshire Council had argued that it could demonstrate it had identified enough housing land supply in the county, which was disputed by Mr Eardley's legal team.

However the inspector's report said: "Even if I were to take the view that the council could demonstrate a five year housing land supply, this does not in itself rule out sustainable residential development. It is evident that the underlying principles behind the above policies are to secure a sustainable pattern of development and to ensure that the countryside and its character are protected."

The inspector also found that the proposal would deliver social and economic benefits through the delivery of new housing and would maintain and enhance the vitality of Norton in Hales; would not cause harm to highway or pedestrian safety and that the homes would not harm the character of the surrounding countryside.

Shropshire Council was unable for comment.