An appeal by a developer to build 70 new homes on the edge of Preston has been successful.
AdvertisementWain Homes applied for permission to build new homes on greenfield land in Grimsargh – but Preston City Council rejected the application in July last year.
A public inquiry was held into the application with planning inspector Richard McCoy deciding to allow the development.
He said the proposal for outline planning permission did not threaten what is known as the area of separation between Preston and Grimsargh.
The application was fiercly objected to by Grimsargh’s Parish Council who said they feared the village was being slowly swalled up by Preston – and the new development would accelerate this.
By law a ribbon of development between the city and Grimsargh is now allowed.
Inspector McCoy wrote: “The proposal under this appeal would narrow the existing gap with built development of around 80m.
“The existing gap is clearly of importance to the residents of Grimsargh who are supported by their MP Ben Wallace and by the Parish Council.
“However, the proposal would not result in the physical merger of the two settlements as there would be no point at which, as a result of the development, the gap would be closed.”
He went on to say the character of the village would not be changed by the new development, which is proposed for land off Ribblesdale Drive.
Wain Homes now have two years to submit further plans and get the development going – due to the need for new housing in the Preston area.
Grimsargh Parish Council said the outcome of the appeal was “not a good day for Grimsargh.”
They had previously defeated another planning application for an area known as The Hills in the village.
A statement on the Parish Council website said: “Unfortunately the Planning Inspector has allowed the appeal.
“This is not the result any of us had hoped for but, as we all know, there wasn’t as strong a case against it as there was in the Hallam proposal.
“The Planning Inspector has made it clear in his report that the two cases are not comparable. We would like to thank all involved for their hard work in putting up a robust defence and I am sure you will all agree that this is not a good day for Grimsargh.”
The full decision notice from the planning inspector can be viewed on the Parish Council website.
What do you think about the decision? Do you live in the area? Let us know in the comments below