- On 28th November 2023 an appeal by Cartwright Homes was dismissed by Inspector Jonathan Edwards, following a hearing, in respect of a proposal for 29 dwellings on land at Woodlands Lane, Bedworth: (i) a sequential test had not been carried out and there would be an unacceptable impact on flood risk and surface water drainage, (ii) the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the area: “The replacement of a field by a residential cul de sac would undermine the pastoral character and appearance of the plot and its contribution to the rural sense of the locality.” (iii) there was insufficient evidence regarding net gain in biodiversity and (iv) the proposal was for an unsuitable mix of market dwellings.
- On 5th July 2024 an appeal by Richborough Estates Ltd and Mr Robert Jones was dismissed by Inspector Mike Robins, following a 9 day inquiry, in respect of a proposal for up to 650 residential dwellings on land west of Higham Lane, Nuneaton: although the Inspector found that there was only a 3.4 year supply of housing land, “in [the] absence of a secured sum demonstrably sufficient to ensure delivery of necessary highway improvements, the proposed mitigation is not cost effectively mitigated to an acceptable degree, and in absence of the improvements, there would be severe residual cumulative impacts on the road network.”
- On 9th July 2024 an appeal by Gladman Development Ltd was dismissed by Inspector Richard Aston, following an 8 day inquiry in respect of a proposal for up to 700 dwellings off Weddington Road, Weddington, Nuneaton: although the Inspector found that there was less than a 3 year housing land supply (i) this was “not a location which is, or is likely to be, adequately served by sufficient and suitable alternatives to the private car for the scale of development proposed and for its lifetime.” (ii) “a development of the scale proposed would result in a considerable and harmful change to the character and appearance of the site and area in this part of the Borough. The proposal would be a dramatic and artificial intrusion and the landscape and visual harm would have a significant and very harmful adverse impact on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area for a considerable period of time.”
Land west of Higham Lane Nuneaton Decision