Clark approves 1,500-home green belt scheme

The communities secretary has today granted outline planning permission for the development, deciding that the housing and economic benefits of the scheme outweighed harm to the green belt.

Previous communities secretary Eric Pickles in 2014 called in the application following local opposition to the scheme. The Perrybrook development, near Brockworth, would provide 1,500 homes, including up to 175 extra care housing, offices, shops and health facilities.

In a decision published today, Mr Clark said he agreed with the conclusions of a report by a planning inspector that the proposal would harm the green belt “in relation to the loss of the essential characteristic of openness and being contrary to the purposes of checking sprawl”. He also said the application conflicts with the council’s adopted development plan regarding green belt policy.

However, Mr Clark decided that the green belt impact was outweighed by other factors. He noted there has been a lengthy period of undersupply in the area, and agrees with the inspector that the 600 affordable homes planned for the site – 40% of the total – “makes a valuable contribution in the context of an identified need for 1,600 affordable homes across the borough”.

Mr Clark also said the proposal is in keeping with the emerging Joint Core Strategy for Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury, and that it is significant three authorities support the scheme. He also gave considerable weight to the “considerable economic benefits of the scheme”.

The decision letter said: “The various considerations in favour of the proposal are sufficient to clearly outweigh the harm to the green belt… and that very special circumstances have been demonstrated in this case.”

The application was made by Hunter Page Planning on behalf of the landowners, the Society of Merchant Venturers and a joint venture between property companies Newby Management and St Congar Land.