Plans for 40 new homes to be built blocked

Councillors have blocked plans to build 40 homes in fields on the edge of a village. Jones Homes and Renew Land wanted to develop the 2.46 hectare greenfield site east of Woodside, in Baldwin’s Gate.

But members of the planning committee at Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council voted to refuse the scheme, saying that the negative impacts would outweigh any benefits. Seventy-four residents and three parish councils had objected to the application, raising concerns over the loss of grazing land, trees and hedgerows, along with the impact on local roads and services.

Baldwin’s Gate resident Adam Jenkinson was among the objectors who attended the planning committee meeting. He said the Woodside development, combined with the nearby Baldwin’s Gate Farm scheme of 200 homes, would dramatically alter the gateway into the village.

Mr Jenkinson said: “This development raises many issues for Baldwin’s Gate and the surrounding area. Firstly, the proposed development will have a detrimental and irreversible impact on the local wildlife and biodiversity. The loss of ancient trees and valuable hedgerows will be irreplaceable, and will dramatically alter the scenery and character of the village.

“The entrance to the development is located on a narrow countryside road, that is regularly used by large farming vehicles, lorries and high volumes of regular traffic. There are no pull-ins along this road and cars frequently become stuck due to the width of vehicles. Woodside is a national speed limit road with no pavements, street lighting or pedestrian safety.”

Whitmore parish councillor Neill Walker said Baldwin’s Gate had doubled in size of the last 10 years, and villagers felt ‘under siege from relentless development’. He said: “We warned this committee that approving previous applications would be the floodgates for further development. That warning has now become a reality. This is just the beginning.”

Ian Gilbert, agent for the applicants, said the development would result in a ‘net biodiversity gain’ with the site getting 50 more trees and 400m of hedgerows. He said: “The development comprises a scheme of well-designed homes that will sit alongside the adjacent development at Baldwin’s Gate Farm and deliver a new high-quality, well-landscaped and definitive edge to the village. The scheme would deliver open market housing and 25 per cent affordable housing providing a mix of housing to meet specific local needs.

Officers had recommended the application for approval, subject to conditions and financial contributions to public open space, education and health services. Their report to the committee pointed out that, due to the borough council not having a five-year housing land supply, refusing sustainable development would only be allowed if the negative impacts ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweighed the benefits, which officers argued was not the case here.

Committee members raised a range of problems with the scheme, such as some roads being unadopted, the loss of ‘best and most versatile’ agricultural land and wildlife habitats, and highways concerns. Councillor Mark Holland acknowledged the possibility of a refusal being overturned on appeal, but argued that the committee would be acting reasonably in blocking the plans.

He said: “Haven’t the people of Baldwin’s Gate suffered enough? We’ve been given an insight into the difficulties with refusing this application. But I remember voting for our new local plan, which is now being examined. This application is on land that isn’t allocated in that plan.

“We have already delivered, in this part of the borough, a huge amount of housing, admittedly some of it against our will. That surely has to count for something? We must be able to draw a line somewhere, and say we don’t have to vote for this as we are contributing to housing.”

The committee voted unanimously to refuse the application.