Minister throws out greenfield site homes plan
QUESTIONS are being raised about whether the planning system in Wales is working properly after a Welsh Government minister comprehensively overruled an inspector’s recommendation that a housing development should go ahead.
Persimmon Homes wanted to build a 300-home estate on a field in Blackwood.
When Caerphilly council turned the scheme down, saying developments should go ahead on brownfield rather than greenfield sites, the company appealed and a planning inspector recommended that it should be approved.
But Local Government and Housing Minister Julie James has overruled the planning inspector and decided that the estate should not be built.
The planning inspector accepted that the proposal at Cefn Fforest, Blackwood did not fall within the Local Development Plan (LDP), but said: “I have considered the duty to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales ... I conclude that the proposed development would accord with the placemaking principles of Planning Policy Wales and would constitute sustainable development.
“The housing and affordable housing needs identified in the LDP up to 2021 will not be met, as only around 50% of the necessary housing has been provided. Taking all these factors into account, I conclude that significant weight should be attached to the need to increase housing land supply.”
Giving her reasons for rejecting the application, Ms James said: “I am committed to a plan-led system in Wales and I consider the primacy of the adopted LDP is key to providing certainty for communities and developers, regarding the type and scale of development that will be permitted in local authority areas throughout Wales.
“While I accept the proposed development would provide some benefits, particularly the provision of affordable housing, I am not satisfied these benefits outweigh the identified conflict with LDP policies, which have been designed by the local planning authority in order to control housing development outside defined settlement policy boundaries.”
Ms James said: “There is an understandable expectation in the local community that allocated housing sites in the LDP will be developed before unplanned sites outside defined settlement boundaries, which do not accord with adopted LDP policies, are considered.
“Also, Planning Policy Wales is clear that brownfield land, wherever possible, should be used in preference to greenfield sites where it is suitable for development. An allocated brownfield site within an adopted LDP is clearly suitable for residential development.
“I consider it is relevant to the determination of this appeal that there are a number of allocated housing sites in the extant LDP which remain undeveloped, including a large, brownfield site, located in close proximity to the appeal site, which is capable of accommodating the number of residential units proposed by the appeal scheme.
“Therefore, I am not satisfied in this case that the settlement boundaries defined in the LDP should be breached in order to impose additional, unplanned residential development on the local community.”
Independent councillor Nigel Dix, who opposed the scheme, said: “This is an excellent decision by the minister, but the way in which she has disagreed comprehensively with the planning inspector calls into question the way the planning system works.
“There are brownfield sites that could be developed to provide more housing, but developers find it easier and more profitable to build on greenfield sites.
“This situation cannot be allowed to continue and it should be made clear to planning inspectors that they should not be backing the development of greenfield sites when brownfield sites are available.
“The minister’s decision has implications for planning applications across the whole of Wales.”