Harlex wins Timperley World of Pets appeal
The planning inspectorate has overturned Trafford Council’s decision to refuse the 116-home scheme, located off Thorley Lane in the Green Belt.
In March last year, Trafford’s planning committee concluded that the benefits of the Timperley scheme, which proposed a 45% provision of affordable housing, would not outweigh the negative impact on the Green Belt.
In a decision notice posted yesterday, planning inspector Graham Chamberlain agreed that “protecting the Green Belt is a matter of great importance to the government”, but added that the harm would “be clearly outweighed by the other considerations identified”.
Namely addressing an “acute and persistent housing supply shortfall” and the delivery of affordable homes in an area of “high need”.
James Nicholson, managing director of Harlex, said he was “delighted to receive the positive appeal decision”.
“The scheme will see the site redeveloped to provide up to 116, much-needed private and affordable homes for Trafford.”
Harlex bought the site, allocated for housing under the Places for Everyone plan, in 2018 in a deal backed by the Residential Land Partnership fund.
Harlex lodged plans for the redevelopment of the 7.2-acre former World of Pets site in September 2021 and the refusal came the following March. Rapleys is the planning consultant for the project.
The application’s reference number with Trafford Council is 105906/OUT/21. The scheme’s reference number with the Planning Inspectorate is APP/Q4245/W/22/3306715.
Great perseverance, logic has prevailed
By Land Buyer
Crazy that this was refused in the first place. High levels of affordable housing on a previously developed site that is close to being allocated for housing.
By A Trafford Resident
Not sure what the big problem was, it’s a brownfield site put to much better use.
By Anonymous
Its outragious that central government can overrule the local decision. It makes a laughing stock of local knowledge and opinion.
By Anonymous
It has to be the loosest definition of ‘a brownfield site’; it had a few green houses on and people talk about it like it was a mega arsenic factory or something.
It doesn’t look good when the council decision is overturned.
The full GM plan is desperately needed so that these developments and land uses are coordinated and come with the required amenities to go with it. This is just another sizeable site gone in the piecemeal approach. Piecemeal does nothing creating coherent places to live.
By Anonymous
very well done, never had a doubt
By Tannoy
Farmers are selling out left right and centre. We will all be moaning we can’t get vegetables etc soon.
By Ben
There is no such thing as affordable housing in the Chesire area of Timperley, plus the road chaos this will cause.
By John Bradshaw
Sad result for nature corridor. Why can Trafford Planning decisions be overturned by the Government when they do not know the area? Great crested newts, other newt species, bats and many birds we need in the area near a busy airport will loose their home. Less than 1% of land in Trafford is set aside for nature and there is a corridor of land at the back and side of this site which is part of it. Soon there will be no nature pockets left for nature in Trafford. This will be setting a precedent and green belt will keep being built on. This area will become built up and ruined due to wanting the local schools. There isn’t any room in any Trafford secondary school and Altrincham is very popular. There is affordable housing 2 minutes walk away on the Broomwood estates and they have built a lot of private houses there. This affordable housing is an excuse and a loophole to ensure the property developers got their planning on green belt. The system works for the expensive legal team every time.
By Anonymous