Housing secretary Steve Reed has confirmed that he will launch an inquiry into Uttlesford District Council’s decision to reject City & Country’s planning applications for two residential schemes in Stansted Mountfitchet and Birchanger.
The developer proposed building 480 new homes, 50% (240) of which would be affordable, on grey belt land. City & Country argues that the council’s planning committee undermined recommendations from its own planning officers, who described the proposals as ‘exceptional’.
Uttlesford District Council will be required to submit its statement of case by the 12 August, six weeks after the starting date defined by the call-in letter issued on the 1 July. A date for the enquiry will be agreed later this year.
Tim Sargeant, chairman of City & Country, said: “We remain firmly of the view that Uttlesford planning committee’s decision was fundamentally flawed. Therefore, we are pleased that the secretary of state has called in the decision for review. Our proposals were recommended for approval by Uttlesford’s own professional planning officers and would have delivered high quality designed homes, including 240 affordable homes, alongside significant investment in community facilities, improving infrastructure and transport and increasing biodiversity.
“We believe the committee failed to properly apply national planning policy and did not fully assess and consider the benefits of these schemes. This case has important implications for how planning policy is interpreted and applied. We are disappointed that the applications must go to an inquiry, especially as it will prove to be both costly and time consuming. However, we have attempted to work proactively with the council and the parish councils to address their concerns while delivering the homes and community infrastructure that local people need.
“This case raises serious questions around how housing is delivered within the UK. Elsewhere in Europe, including Germany, the continent’s largest economy, housing is treated like the essential infrastructure that it is. Delivery is driven primarily through SME developers who operate regionally and can respond with more agility to market changes. If we are serious about economic growth and solving the housing crisis, then we must adopt this attitude in the UK.”
