Former Loxley Works, Storrs Bridge Lane, Loxley, Sheffield, S6 6SX

a Hybrid Application for change of use of existing buildings to be retained, altered vehicular access from Loxley Road with secondary public transport access from Rowell Lane and associated works with outline approval (with all other matters reserved) for demolition of existing buildings and structures, provision of a residential led mixed-use development that will deliver up to 300 dwellings, reinstatement works, site remediation, green infrastructure, landscaping and associated infrastructure

Authority: Sheffield City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Whitehead M

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the Council can demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply
whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development for the purposes of Section 13 of the Framework
its effect on the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land in the Green Belt
its effect on the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding area
its effect on the ecology and biodiversity of the surrounding area
its accessibility by means other than the car
its effect on the risk from flooding
if it is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The proposal's substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt, as inappropriate development, was not clearly outweighed by other considerations, so the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development did not exist.

the substantial harm from inappropriateness and to Green Belt openness, together with harm to character and appearance and other harm from an unsustainable location and flood risk, was not clearly outweighed by the benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing, brownfield redevelopment and other considerations, so the balance tipped against the proposal.

Framework references: 11, 73, 75, 105, 119, 120, 125, 126, 128, 130, 131, 134, 145, 147, 148, 149, 164, 174, 219

Plan policies cited: Policy GE1, Policy GE2, Policy GE3, Policy GE4, Policy GE5, Policy CS71, Policy GE8, Policy GE10, Policy BE18, Policy GE15, Policy GE11, Policy GE17, Policy CS40, policies BE2 and GE2 (Loxley Valley Design Statement)

Judgments cited: R (oao Hampshire CC v Blackbushe Airport Ltd [2021 EWCA Civ 389 )

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.