Field to the East of Audlem Road, Audlem, CW3 0FL

Authority: Cheshire East
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Watson S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the appeal site is suitable for new housing
The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
The effect of the proposal on biodiversity at the site
Whether a suitable level of open space would be provided

What decided it

The location of the proposal outside the settlement boundary, which would undermine the Council's plan-led approach to housing delivery, combined with the harm to character and appearance, outweighs the benefits of housing delivery in a context where the Council can demonstrate a strong five-year housing land supply.

The benefits of housing delivery and affordable housing provision, attracting moderate weight, were outweighed by the fairly substantial weight given to the conflict with the plan-led approach and the harm to character and appearance of the surrounding area.

Framework references: 79, 130, 174

Plan policies cited: LPS Policy SC6, LPS Policy PG6, LPS Policy SD1, LPS Policy SD2, LPS Policy SE1, LPS Policy SE3, LPS Policy SE6, SADPD Policy PG9, SADPD Policy GEN1, SADPD Policy ENV1, SADPD Policy ENV2, ANP Policy H1, ANP Policy D1, ANP Policy CI1

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.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.