Following the examination of the Uttlesford Local Plan, Inspectors Louise Crosby MA MRTPI and Elaine Worthington BA (Hons) MT MUED MRTPI wrote to Stephen Miles, planning policy team leader at Uttlesford District Council, stating:
“Unfortunately, despite the additional evidence that has been submitted during the examination and all that we have now read and heard in the examination, including the suggested main modifications to the plan put forward by the council, we have significant concerns in relation to the soundness of the plan.
“In particular, we are not persuaded that there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the garden communities, and thus the overall spatial strategy, have been justified. We therefore cannot conclude that these fundamental aspects of the plan are sound.
“This is of major importance in this case, given the large scale and long-term nature of the garden community developments, combined with the fact that they would be the primary source of housing in the district for the next 30 to 40 years.”
At an Extraordinary Council Meeting (ECM) on Thursday 30 April Councillors decided to withdraw the Local Plan and start work on preparing a new plan for the district.
It will be interesting to see how this impacts the decision of Inspector Roger Clews in relation to the neighbouring Braintree Local Plan and the North Essex Garden Communities.
Lightwood has completed the sale of its 45 unit development in Ovingdean, Brighton to Brookworth Homes. The scheme which was consented at appeal will provide much needed homes in Brighton, including affordable housing, the growth of which is curtailed being surrounded by the South Downs National Park.
Following the suspension of the St Albans and District Local Plan Examination Hearing sessions in January 2020, the Inspectors have now issued their Post Hearing letter to the Council. In a letter dated April 14, examining inspectors Louise Crosby and Elaine Worthington said they found “serious concerns in terms of legal compliance and soundness” of the draft plan.
It is highly likely that the current process of Plan review will not be recoverable and that St Albans Council will need to start again.
Following an unsuccessful appeal in 2019 against North Dorset Council’s decision to refuse outline planning consent for up to 98 dwellings, a revised application has been submitted which seeks to address the concerns of the Planning Inspector on the visual and landscape impact of the development.
After the first week of hearings the Inspectors suspended the examination citing serious concerns on legal compliance and soundness. Further explanation will be published in the next few weeks.
Following an unsuccessful appeal in 2019 Lightwood are revising the scheme to address the reasons for refusal. A revised layout for up to 80 units will be submitted by March 2020
Following an Inspector’s letter in June 2018 the North Essex Authorities undertook additional technical work to attempt satisfy his soundness concerns. Accompanied by Luke Wilcox of Landmark Chambers Lightwood attended the second phase of examination hearings and argued that critical soundness concerns had not been overcome.
Following Lightwood’s successful application for a detached two storey building for use as B1 (office), a revised application seeking to convert its use to residential was unanimously supported by Elmbridge Planning Committee. Construction has already begun on the 1500ft² property, which benefits from a 300ft long garden, and is expected to be completed and on the market in the Autumn.
Lightwood has submitted an application for two 4,000ft² luxury homes to the rear of an existing property with an excessively large garden on the Fairmile Estate in Cobham. The precedent of back land development has already been established along Fairmile Lane and therefore the scheme is not out of character with its surroundings.
The Inspectors to the West of England Joint Spatial Strategy published there second detailed post hearings letter, advising the West of England authorities that failings could not be corrected at examination (which had already been suspended to allow further work). The JSP is now being withdrawn and new plan-making process will begin based on higher housing need figures.
