A legal challenge to stop 1,000 new homes being built in Bishop's Cleeve's Homelands Farm and Cleevelands has failed.
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 1,000 new homes in Bishop's Cleeve will go ahead, after a High Court judge turned down an appeal to block the development.
Tewkesbury Borough Council has lost its fight to stop developer Comparo building 450 homes at Homelands Farm, and Welbeck Strategic Land creating 550 properties at Cleevelands.
And work on the developments is now set to start in the next few months.
The council went to the High Court for a judicial review in a bid to overturn a Government inspector's decision to grant permission for both developments.
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Councillors and residents opposed the developments because they believed they would put too much strain on services and existing infrastructure in Bishop's Cleeve.
However, after hearing the case at the Administrative Court in Birmingham on February 12 and 13, Mr Justice Males yesterday announced his decision to uphold the Government decision.
It means the community is now powerless to stop proposals that so many fought so hard to prevent. Bishop's Cleeve parish councillor Peter Badham said he was not surprised by the judgement and commended the borough council for trying.
He said: "The parish council has fought against these proposals venomously.
"From our point of view, it just seems too much development. I do not know how the village is going to cope with the infrastructure – it's ridiculous.
"I don't know how we will cope with 2,000 more cars every day and the traffic during the development will be horrendous.
"I know we can't live in the past, but it's such a beautiful piece of land."
Tewkesbury Borough Council leader Robert Vines said: "We are disappointed with this outcome and we will now carefully consider what the judge has said in his decision.
"What is clear is that the Localism Act has not delivered what was expected and suggested by the Government when it was introduced, which was to remove top-down planning and to transfer power to communities."
The developments were turned down by the council, but the Secretary of State overturned the decision on appeal.
Welbeck Strategic Land is behind the proposals to create 550 homes at Cleevelands.
Development surveyor Andrew Smith said the company was pleased with the decision and work would start on delivering the homes and community facilities in the coming months.
A spokesman from Comparo, behind the plans for 450 homes at the Homelands 2 site, added: "The decision confirms the need for new housing in the Bishop's Cleeve area. It's a pity the legal challenges have delayed the start of building work, but, as owners of Homelands, we are ready to move quickly to the next planning stage and then to get on site."
5 Comments
by whatifwedid
Saturday, February 23 2013, 5:01PM
“"From our point of view, it just seems too much development. I do not know how the village is going to cope with the infrastructure – it's ridiculous" Bishop's Cleeve parish councillor Peter Badham says. He said: "The parish council has fought against these proposals venomously.
Presumably he wont be applying to operate the pharmacy that is proposed on the new site then ? Yeah right - watch this space - he speaks with a forked tongue.
I agree with liber8bc - sounds like another deal sealed down the lodge”
by SG1970
Thursday, February 21 2013, 4:22PM
“Well crack on and get building, tell the council to poke it.
Yes, I am from Cleeve, lived there all my life and fully support the expansion.”
by Douglasknows
Thursday, February 21 2013, 1:10PM
“I guess by the look on the council leaders' disappointed face that he doesn't live anywhere near Bishops Cleeve.”
by liber8bc
Thursday, February 21 2013, 9:01AM
“My money is on a Badhams Pharmacy being the first buildings put up on both the Homelands 2 and Cleevelands sites? Deal sealed down "The Lodge"”
by Hugo_Sanchez
Thursday, February 21 2013, 8:58AM
“I'll repeat myself and point out that the borough council have had since 2004 to produce their plans and have yet to produce anything. What is happening to Bishop's Cleeve is appalling but Robert Vines should be focussing on the failures of his departments before bleating about how unfair the system is. The papers presented by the planners show that, in 2005, the council promised to deliver the Local Development Document by 2007. Anyone else still in a job after missing a deadline by this margin?”