Government should not be allowed to decide housing plans for Tewkesbury, borough council says at judicial review into Homelands and Cleevelands
A PATCHWORK of housing sites could be created across Tewkesbury borough, if approval for building 1,000 new homes is upheld, a barrister has warned.
Kevin Leigh sounded the alarm at the start of a judicial review in Birmingham Administrative Court as the borough council took its fight against the development to the High Court.
Inquiry
The council is asking judge Mr Justice Males to revoke approval after a Government inspector decided, at a public inquiry, that Welbeck Strategic Land and developer Comparo could go ahead with the Homelands and Cleevelands projects, north of Bishop's Cleeve, despite objections by the council and residents.
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The council decided to seek a judicial review, despite huge legal costs, in a bid to reverse the decision.
Mr Leigh said at the judicial review hearing that it should be the council making decisions about its housing and not the Government. He said there had been changes in Government housing policies and goalmouths had been moved.
Mr Leigh said the Government was telling the local authority to "pull its finger out" about its five year building policy or the Government would make the decisions for them.
"This is where the council and the Government are apart and the local authority is upset," said Mr Leigh.
Mr Leigh said the council was not saying no to new housing.
He added the council wanted to build homes in the best places, but that major developments could not be prepared in five minutes.
"Many local authorities do not have a five-year housing plan – it takes time," he said.
Mr James Maurici, representing the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, said the Government's five year building plan could not be challenged. All local authorities were expected to have a five-year building plan which Tewkesbury had not yet adapted and there was a 10 per cent shortfall on the target, he said.
The hearing, which has been listed for two days, continues today. A decision is expected at a later date.
4 Comments
by allenkeyte
Saturday, February 16 2013, 3:04PM
“Shireresident. You can't have it both ways. Either the Community decides on needs, via the Borough Council and public consultation, or the Government does so. The government, in its Localism Act says that Tewkesbury Borough should decide - and then makes the decisions via Eric Pickles the Secretary of State for Communities. Sadly, because Pickles has not yet scrapped his own (and John Prescotts) figures contained in the Regional Spatial Strategy (as he promised) his figures are the ones chosen for demand rather than ours. We have figures showing sufficient for Tewkesbury Borough for at least 10-12 years and probably longer. But additionally we are told to cooperate with Cheltenham and Gloucester Districts - which adds to the time of actually producing a development plan. Pickles is clearly talking against himself. It is to be hoped that the High Court will protect democracy - as defined in the government's own legislation!”
by EllJay1
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 4:51PM
“If the Bishops Cleeve site gets approval the amount of traffic going down Gotherington Lane and through Gotherington itself will be horrendous. It is a narrow road, as indicated by it's name, and I normally avoid it at all cost.
And then there is the likelihood of flooding.”
by Shireresident
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 12:43PM
“As far as I can see Tewkesbury Borough Council have never managed to bite the bullet and approve a housing plan. Presumably this is because it would be too contentious. I suspect they've got their fingers crossed that the MOD makes a decision soon about the Ashchurch camp. A large brown field site like that would solve all their problems. In the meantime I suspect the grounds for appeal against the Bishops Cleeve site are rather flimsy. Let's hope the legal fees are being well spent.”
by ShireMe
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 8:15AM
“Unfortunate that the coalitions idea of "small government" doesnt mesh with its increasing interference in the running of local democracy. Where does this fit it with their localism. agenda?”