South Ribble sets stall out with double Samlesbury refusal

Story Homes’ 1,300-home garden village and Logik’s 1.9m sq ft industrial proposals have both been rejected by unanimous verdicts at planning committee.

Both schemes were put forward for land off Cuerdale Lane, Samlesbury, an area put forward as a driver of economic growth through the proposed National Cyber Force headquarters.

The pair of decisions, handed down at Thursday 7 May’s meeting, came in line with officer recommendation, with possible conflicts with the emerging Central Lancashire Local Plan being a big factor in both the applications falling short. A tussle over Green/Grey Belt status also contributed to derailing Logik’s bid.

Story’s plans had attracted 1,250 objections and Logik’s 850.

Story Homes – Cuerdale Garden Village – 07/2022/00451/OUT

South Ribble’s officers had suggested eight grounds for refusing Story Homes’ pitch for a 1,300-home led garden village scheme.

The plans to develop a swathe of land off Cuerdale Lane, Samlesbury, were initially submitted in 2022, before tweaks were made to the proposal last year.

The developer sought outline permission for up to 1,300 homes and 1.7m sq ft of employment space, with a 21,500 sq ft local centre and two-form entry primary school.

Chief among South Ribble’s reasons for refusal were points relating to the emerging Central Lancs Local Plan, a combined spatial strategy on which the local authority is working with Preston and Chorley. The proposal has undergone examination – with inspectors warning that as it stands the plan appears unsound – and is being amended ahead of consideration by government.

Cllr James Gleeson was among those unconvinced by the developer’s case, saying he thought priority should be given to “all that farmland, all that food production” and summing up “I can’t vote for this”.

The eight reasons for refusal all relate to one or more policies within the emerging CLLP, the National Planning Policy Framework, or South Ribble’s local plan.

Reasons for refusal:

• The proposed development is contrary to the adopted and emerging spatial strategy for Central Lancashire, and would prejudice delivery of housing, employment and mixed-use development on allocated sites.
• Inappropriate development in the Green Belt, without very special circumstances having been proved.
• The substantial extent, scale and cumulative effect of the proposal would be so significant, that a consent would undermine the plan-making process of the emerging CLLP.
• The scale, layout and permanence of the development would Have an adverse urbanising influence, resulting in “substantial harm” to the landscape.
• The height, scale and density proposed would not respect the rural setting.
• Regarding the sequential test requirements for main town centre uses (offices), the applicant “has failed to provide sufficient assessment of whether there are available and suitable sites in sequentially preferable locations”.
• Insufficient information provided on highways impact.
• Insufficient information provided on archaeological impact.

Logik’s Cowells Farm development – reference 07/2023/00035/OUT

Logik, for its part, has been engaged in a tussle with the council over the status of its site. In short, the firm believes there is a strong case for the land to be considered as Grey Belt, the council remains firm in its conviction it is Green Belt.

Like Story, the firm had submitted its original plans for Cuerdale Lane more than three years ago. The land concerned is in three plots, totalling almost 70 acres.

As reported by Place in October last year, the land had been considered for Green Belt release, having been put forward in a call for sites and considered as part of site assessments – the Open Land Designations study, from October 2022  – as work to put together the draft CLLP took place, with LUC advising the councils.

However, the three councils then put forward a draft CLLP with no Green Belt release, leaving the Cuerdale Lane site’s status unchanged. As to future development, there is a belief, highlighted in Preston City Council’s objection to the Logik plan, that there are already allocated employment sites with the capacity to deliver the necessary employment space for Central Lancs, with the Aptus scheme at Roman Road and the Preston West strategic site mentioned.

Logik’s assertion is that under the revised NPPF, the site should now be classed as Grey Belt. The applicant had engaged planning silk Christopher Katkowski QC, whose verdict was that there is a “strong prospect” the land should be considered thus.

South Ribble’s officers disagree, and refusal was recommended on 10 grounds. Like the Story plan, it was described as contrary to the emerging CLLP and being of such scale it would undermine the CLLP plan-making process. Inappropriate Green Belt development, urbanising influence, harm to the rural setting and the town centre sequential test were also cited.

Highways and archaeology information were once again cited, along with agricultural land classification information and information on the foul drainage strategy.

With refusal recommended, agent Neil Lucas, co-founder of planning advisor AshtonHale, addressed the meeting asking for a deferment. Lucas set out a timeline of events dating back to 2020 that saw South Ribble encouraging the application to give further momentum to the bid to secure the National Cyber Force headquarters for Samlesbury. only for that support to cool in more recent times.

Citing “clear procedural concerns” Lucas asked members to defer a decision, suggesting excessive weight had been given to potential harm caused by the scheme in the officer recommendation report, also suggesting a lack of robustness in the assessment of employment need.

The plea for deferment fell on deaf ears, with the committee again voting as one to refuse.

• This article was updated on 14 May, to explain more fully the background of the Green Belt/Grey Belt dispute