South Gloucestershire Council has taken its fight over plans for a 1,200-home 'mini-town' on the outskirts of Bristol to the High Court (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20389498&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has given the go-ahead for the massive scheme at Stoke Gifford. In doing so, she overruled one of her own planning inspectors, who refused permission for the controversial development on 94 acres of farmland at Harry Stoke.
The council is asking top judge Mr Justice Andrew Collins to quash Ms Blear's approval for the development, which is close to Bristol Parkway Station.
A public inquiry was held last year after South Gloucestershire planning officials missed their deadline for making a decision on the proposed housing scheme by developer Crest Nicholson.
The council's court action centres on the granting of outline permission for 1,200 homes, a primary school, community centre, roads and recreation facilities. It says the main access road would cross protected green belt land and is outside the borders of the proposed development.
Even though the local authority has earmarked the 94-acre site for housing in its local plan, council chiefs say Ms Blears should have told Crest Nicholson to come up with an alternative access route.
Lawyers representing the council say the planning inspector at the public inquiry ruled against the access road, saying it would cause harm to the green belt and constitute "significant urban sprawl".
The inspector refused the application, saying the developer had failed to provide sufficient "very special circumstances" to justify building on the green belt.
But Ms Blears had the final say and overruled the inspector.
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