®Planning appeal decision
Land south east of South Lancashire Industrial Estate, Lockett Road, Wigan, WN4 8TP
an outline planning application with details of means of access (partial details of access and details of scale, layout, appearance and landscape are reserved) for the erection of up to 625,000 sqft (58,064sqm) (GIA) of industrial, storage and distribution floorspace with ancillary offices (Use Classes B2, B8 and E(g)), construction of primary estate road off Bolton Road and associated works
- Authority
- Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- employment-industrial · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Longmuir J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
- the effect of the proposal on the operation of the local road network, in particular congestion and pedestrian safety, notwithstanding the mitigation proposed
What decided it
The very considerable employment and economic benefits of implementing a long-standing but previously undeliverable employment allocation clearly and demonstrably outweighed the very limited Green Belt harm, establishing very special circumstances.
the very considerable benefits of the proposal (delivery of a long-allocated employment site, substantial job creation, reduced out-commuting, and environmental/transport benefits) clearly and demonstrably outweighed the very limited Green Belt harm, to which substantial weight was given, so as to amount to very special circumstances
Framework references: 2, 8, 11, 56, 57, 111, 137, 138, 147, 148, 150, 180
Plan policies cited: Policy CP8, Policy CP7, Policy CP12, Policy CP5, Policy EM1A
Judgments cited: R (Hawkhurst PC) v Tunbridge Wells BC & Ors. [2020] EWHC 3019 Admin) at [138]
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.