®Planning appeal decision
Land off Dark Lane, Gawsworth, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9QZ
Planning appeal 3372870 at Land off Dark Lane, Gawsworth, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9QZ (Cheshire East) was dismissed on 22 January 2026 by Inspector Harding C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, proposed land use and the amount of development, in relation to: whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt; the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt; and whether any harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances.
residential development for up to three dwellings including access and garaging
- Authority
- Cheshire East
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Harding C
- Postcode
- SK11 9QZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, proposed land use and the amount of development, in relation to: whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt; the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt; and whether any harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances
What decided it
The appeal site cannot be said to have access to a genuine choice of transport modes due to the poor pedestrian infrastructure along Dark Lane, meaning the location is not sustainable for the purposes of Framework paragraph 155 and therefore the grey belt exception does not apply.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and harm to openness was not clearly outweighed by the modest housing benefit of up to three dwellings in the context of a 3,000-dwelling shortfall, and the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply because Green Belt protection policies provided a strong reason for refusal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- CELPS Policy SD2CELPS Policy SD1CELPS Policy PG3CELPS Policy PG10GNP Policy G1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
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- Allowed30 September 20266008176Sycamore Farm, Well Bank Lane, Over Peover, WA16 8UN
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.