Council's ruling on Shropshire homes overturned
A decision to throw out plans for 17 homes in a north Shropshire village has been overturned following an appeal.
Plans to build the homes in Norton-in-Hales, near Market Drayton, were rejected by Shropshire Council's north planning committee in December.
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.
Mr Manning 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.
"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 the council's appeal evidence on highway matters was not supported by "any objective analysis".
Shropshire Council would not comment.
