Planning inspector overrules council's decision to refuse 125-home development near Potton

An appeal was lodged by applicant Hallam Land Management, after Central Bedfordshire Council rejected the project on the north side of Sandy Road between Potton and Deepdale.

The company’s proposals on 23 acres of agricultural land include market and affordable homes, children’s play areas, amenity space, ecological habitats and other works.

There were 112 objections, while Potton Town Council also opposed the application, which was refused by CBC’s development management committee in January.

Council leader and Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny posted on social media: “Our town has experienced significant development in recent years and I felt strongly CBC had made the right choice to refuse.

“This appeal hinged upon the developer’s assertion that while CBC might have an adopted Local Plan for housing, the local authority can’t currently evidence the so-called five-year housing supply.

“This is an arbitrary housing target set by the government, while the speed of housebuilding is out of the council’s control as it can’t force developers to build.

“Indeed, as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for the last government Michael Gove said the five-year supply shouldn’t be relevant where a local authority has an adopted Local Plan, which CBC has.

“The current government unfortunately doesn’t agree and continues to push for huge numbers of new houses, 1.5m within 5 years. CBC’s calculation currently sits at 4.85. Developers are close to starting major developments in other areas, which will see this number go even higher.

“At the appeal, I spoke about trust and explained how we live in a world where increasingly there’s less trust in national government. The approval of this application by the planning inspector further erodes our faith and trust in the government.

“This development will create a huge western extension from Potton totally out of keeping with the way the town has grown to date. It will place even more pressure on our local services, such as our surgery, and will be detrimental to the local wildlife.

“Someone in government will look back eventually on these decisions and acknowledge the damage caused. For me, that time can’t come soon enough.”

The site is located within the open countryside outside of the settlement envelope for Potton, according to CBC planning officers. “These plans aren’t representative of controlled, gradual and sustainable growth of the town,” explained their report.

“This development would have an unmitigated and unacceptable impact on the current local infrastructure.”

A planning statement prepared by design and development consultancy Marrons on behalf of the applicant said: “Hallam Land Management has completed environmental surveys and assessments to develop a revised master plan, for which it seeks outline planning permission.

“In the context of a national housing crisis and government objective to boost the supply of homes, these proposals provide a deliverable opportunity for up to 125 properties, including 30 per cent or up to 38 affordable homes.

“Delivery of this housing will provide important economic benefits, such as jobs at the construction stage, increased trade for local retailers and services, and new homes bonus payments.”