®Planning appeal decision
Widnes Golf Club, Highfield Road, WIDNES, WA8 7DT
for the erection of 233 dwellings, reconfiguration of golf course, demolition of existing club house and associated buildings and the erection of new club house and green keepers store, creation of new vehicular accesses, roads, car parking, green footpath link and ancillary development
- Authority
- Halton Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Cridland R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site offers an acceptable location for the proposed development having regard to its current use as an 18-hole golf course
- the effect of the proposed development on highway safety
- the effect of the proposed development on flood risk and drainage
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area and trees, including protected trees
What decided it
The failure to demonstrate that the golf course was surplus to requirements or that equivalent/better replacement recreational provision would be secured, resulting in conflict with DALP Policy HE6 and NPPF paragraph 99, compounded by harm to character, appearance and trees, outweighed the housing benefits.
The significant weight given to the delivery of 233 homes (25% affordable) and moderate weight given to other benefits were outweighed by the substantial weight given to conflict with DALP Policies HE6, CS(R)20, HE1 and HE5, leading to a finding of conflict with the development plan as a whole.
Framework references: 99, 98, 11, 110, 167, 174
Plan policies cited: HE6, HE1, HE5, CS(R)20, C1, CS23, HE9, CS(R)13, GR1, GR2
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.