Affordable Housing Successes at Sedbury and Pease Pottage

Tetlow King Planning (TKP) assisted two major planning appeal successes, the first being for 110 dwellings at Sedbury in the Forest of Dean, and the second for 95 dwellings at Fairway Driving Range in Pease Pottage, Mid Sussex.

At the four day inquiry held between September and October for Sedbury, James Stacey, Director at Tetlow King, gave affordable housing evidence on behalf of Barratt Homes supporting the delivery of 40% affordable housing. Other expert planning and landscape evidence was presented by Barton Willmore. The advocate was Christopher Young of No.5 Chambers.

The application was recommended for permission by officers at Forest of Dean Council and included within the emerging draft Site Allocations DPD following a resolution by full Council. However the application was refused by Members and removed from the emerging draft Site Allocations DPD due to the Council considering it would have a detrimental landscape impact as well as considering that it had a sufficient supply of land to meet a five year requirement across the district.

At the inquiry TKP convinced the Inspector that:

• The housing need in the District is acute and increasing.
• The District has become increasingly unaffordable with evidence of significant and widespread viability issues.
• The delivery of policy compliant 40% affordable housing on the site would meet an urgent need and as such was an important material consideration in favour of the proposal

The appeal was allowed and can be read here.

A two day inquiry was held in September for Pease Pottage with other expert witnesses appearing from Simon Jones Associates, Aspect Landscape Planning, Russell Giles Partnership and CMYK Planning and Design. Christopher Young of No.5 Chambers was the advocate.

Our evidence convinced the Inspector that there would be significant economic and social benefits arising from 30% affordable housing to be delivered through the scheme and the appeal was allowed. A copy of the Inspectors Report can be read here.