Councillors have blasted Cheshire East Council over the growing number of housing appeal losses.
New figures show Cheshire East has lost a staggering 29 appeals in 2014 alone – four times the number they lost in 2012.
In total, and additional 1,606 properties are set to be built in the Crewe, Nantwich and surrounding borough areas because applications initially rejected by the council have been overturned on appeal by developers.
This compares to just 235 properties from 10 appeals lost in 2011, 208 properties from seven appeals in 2012, and a sharp rise to 892 units from 19 successful appeals in 2013.
Councillors lay the blame firmly at Cheshire East’s lack of a clear housing supply strategy in its delayed Local Plan, which a planning inspector highlighted in a recent report.
Cllr Brian Silvester, of Willaston and Rope ward, said: “The number of houses passed on appeal has increased by a whopping 800% and the number of appeals lost has gone up by 400% since 2012.
“The reason for this gigantic leap is that Cheshire East does not have an Adopted Local Plan and does not have a 5-year supply of housing land.
“As a consequence, 29 appeals have been lost in 2014 and the cost of defending these appeals is over £400,000.
“The good people of Cheshire East have been totally betrayed. They were promised that their precious green fields, green gaps and green belt would be protected.
“But instead they are forced to standby and see them concreted over.”
Cllr Andy Barratt added: “For the last couple of years Councillors Jones and Brown have both been spouting on that we have a 5-year supply of housing land, even though several appeal inspectors have been saying differently.
“They failed to listen and submitted a Local Plan that was doomed to fail. They should both stand down, not just step back.”
There are a number of appeals currently awaiting decisions, including Muller Homes who want to build the first phase of a 1,100-home “Nantwich South” village between Peter de Stapleigh Way, London Road and Broad Lane.
Cheshire East Council Leader Cllr Michael Jones recently defended the authority’s £3.7 million spend on the Local Plan
He said: “It is perfectly reasonable and sensible to spend £3.7m putting together such a large, complex and vitally important document as the Local Plan and I don’t understand why some critics are seemingly so upset.”
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