Morston House, The Midway, Newcastle under Lyme, ST5 1QG

change of use and upward and side extensions to Morston House to provide student living accommodation in the form of cluster bedrooms (48) and studios (146), with new personnel entrance to The Midway with ancillary concierge, communal rooms, gym, laundry, cycle store and associated works including landscaping

Authority: Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Morgan R

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the effect on the Newcastle Town Centre Conservation Area (CA) and the setting of the Grade II* listed St Giles Church
Whether the development would accord with local policies with regard to accessibility

What decided it

The proposed three-storey upward extension would cause less than substantial harm to the heritage assets that was not outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme, as no clear justification was provided for why such a large extension was necessary.

Framework references: 202, 199, 130, 130f

Plan policies cited: CSP1, CSP2, B9, B10, B14, T17, HE3, HE4

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

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