®Planning appeal decision
Land off Ridge Hill, Sutton, Cheshire, SK11 0LU
Planning appeal 3375811 at Land off Ridge Hill, Sutton, Cheshire, SK11 0LU (Cheshire East) was dismissed on 27 January 2026 by Inspector Heron E, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the appeal site is grey belt land and whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
for erection of a single dwelling
- Authority
- Cheshire East
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Heron E
- Postcode
- SK11 0LU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the appeal site is grey belt land and whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect of the development on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
- whether the site is suitable for residential development having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development
- whether harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The site's location does not offer a realistic choice of sustainable transport modes, failing the sustainability requirement in paragraph 155(c) of the Framework, and the development would be inappropriate in the Green Belt with no very special circumstances to justify it.
The significant weight attributed to housing delivery and the Council's housing land supply shortfall was outweighed by the substantial weight directed to Green Belt harm and the unsustainable location of the development, such that very special circumstances do not exist.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy PG3Policy PG10Policy SD1Policy SD2Policy CO1Policy SE15Policy HOU14Policy ENV3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 83Paragraph 88Paragraph 89Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 143Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
- Judgments
- Julian Wood v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Gravesham Borough Council [2015] EWHC Civ 195
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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- Dismissed30 September 20266010213Disley Meadow, Lower Greenshall Lane, Disley, SK12 2HH
- 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.