Land Adjoining Leckhampton Farm Court, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 3GS

a residential development of 30 dwellings (Class C3); vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access from Church Road; pedestrian and cycle access from Farm Lane; highways improvement works; public open space, landscaping, orchard planting and children's play space; surface water attenuation and other associated works

Authority: Cheltenham Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Sargent J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the development accords with the spatial strategy for the distribution of housing
whether it would preserve the landscape and scenic beauty of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and preserve the character and appearance of the area
its effect on ecology, including the Cotswold Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
whether the nature and distribution of affordable housing is acceptable
if harm would be caused by any or all of the above, whether that would be outweighed by material considerations

What decided it

The very large and pressing shortfall in the Council's housing land supply, engaging the tilted balance, meant the identified harms did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme.

the harm to the spatial strategy and to the valued landscape did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing, economic benefits and biodiversity gains, given a very large and pressing housing land supply shortfall

Framework references: 11, 92, 174, 176, 179, 180

Plan policies cited: SP2, SD10, SD4, SD7, D1, LWH5, LWH4, SD12

Judgments cited: Stroud District Council v SSCLG & Gladman Developments Limited [2015] EWHC 488 (Admin)

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.