Case Studies, Planning Appeals
Planning Appeals, Residential Development

We engaged Milton Keynes Council in pre-application discussions, and held a public consultation event with local people. Following advice from the Council’s Planning Officers, and in response to the concerns of residents, a sensitively designed development was proposed. This was intended to serve a number of functions including fitting in with the character of surrounding housing, providing a soft edge to the development, where it met the surrounding countryside, and safeguarding the setting of a listed building.

The Council’s Planning Officers recommended the application be approved, but it was refused by the Planning Committee in December 2016. We lodged an appeal, and the Inspector who conducted the Planning Inquiry intended to approve the appeal and issue planning permission. However, just as the decision was due to be issued, in September 2017, the appeal was called in by the Secretary of State, in order that he could determine it himself. In December 2018 the Secretary of State refused the appeal, on the basis that he considered it would conflict with national policy adopted in July 2018, relating to the density of the proposed development, and on the basis of the supply of deliverable housing land.

We assisted Counsel in a successful challenge to this decision in the High Court. The decision was quashed, and we subsequently took part in a second public inquiry in January 2020. We are now awaiting the decision of the new Secretary of State.