Pear Tree Lane, Euxton

The appeal site was designated as Safeguarded Land in the Chorley Local Plan, having been removed from the Green Belt for the purpose of future residential development beyond the plan period. The Gladman team identified an opportunity to submit a planning application as a result of the local plan becoming five years old. This rendered the housing policies in the plan out-of-date and required the Council to plan for a higher number of homes. At appeal, the team successfully argued that the Council was unable to demonstrate a five year housing land supply against this higher target, and that as a result the Safeguarded Land should be released for housing now to meet the urgent housing need. Overall the appeal inspector found that there would be no harm in respect of highways, ecology and flood risk issues, and that impacts in relation to landscape and heritage matters would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal. This would include new market and affordable housing, as well as 10% self-build plots to meet an identified need in the Council’s self-build register.

Throughout the site promotion process, the team worked collaboratively with Homes England, who controlled neighbouring land, to promote the site for residential development through the emerging local plan. This work included technical issues such as the need for an off-site drainage outfall and accommodating access through to the Homes England land.