Government says no to new homes appeal in Chorley over Green Belt land concerns

The government has given a firm no to plans to build more than two dozen new homes in Chorley.
The land in Adlington earmarked for 25 new homesThe land in Adlington earmarked for 25 new homes
The land in Adlington earmarked for 25 new homes

Manchester-based Hollins Strategic Land appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in May after Chorley Council’s planning committee refused to give the green light for 25 homes off Carrington Road, Adlington, last November.

But Inspector Andrew Parkin, from the inspectorate, dismissed the appeal in July, in part due to the site being located partly within the Green Belt.

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In his report, Mr Parkin states that the Government “attaches great importance” to Green Belt land.

The land in Adlington earmarked for 25 new homesThe land in Adlington earmarked for 25 new homes
The land in Adlington earmarked for 25 new homes

He adds that the delivery of new homes across the three Central Lancashire districts of Chorley, South Ribble, and Preston, is also “currently exceeding the Government’s calculated housing requirements”, leaving reason behind allowing the new homes “limited”.

In Chorley alone, 5,370 homes have been built between April 2010 and March 2019 – a surplus of 1,455 homes against requirements.

The developer had claimed that Chorley Council has not updated its housing demands in line with new figures, meaning that “a large surplus of completions in the years 2014-2018 ... now becomes a small shortfall”.

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But the council has disputed this, stating that the method being used in by the company was the “Chorley-only figure” of 634 new homes a year - something the authority does not use.

Instead, the council uses figures within the signed agreement between Chorley, South Ribble, and Preston, setting the yearly figures for new housing at 417, 417, and 507 respectively

“For these reasons, and taking into account all matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed,” Mr Parkin concluded.

The homes plan was a re-submission of an application refused by Chorley Council in September 2017.