Story appeals delay to £80m Camelot regeneration
An inquiry will be held in May to determine whether or not the housebuilder’s plan to deliver 350 homes at the former theme park can go ahead after Chorley Council failed to make a decision in good time.
Story Homes has lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate after the statutory window for determining major applications came and went without a decision being made.
Designated as Green Belt, the 74-acre former Camelot Theme Park at Charnock Richard has been earmarked for redevelopment since 2014, two years after it closed down.
Story, which bought the site in 2009, has sought consent for its redevelopment twice before but met with rejection on both occasions.
Neither decision was appealed; Chorley Council had the upper hand as it could prove a five-year housing land supply position at the time.
However, an increase in government housing targets mean that is no longer the case, which has contributed towards Story’s decision to appeal.
Another factor working in the developer’s favour is the government’s introduction of policy around Grey Belt.
Grey Belt is classed as land designated as Green Belt that does not contribute to its purposes.
Story argues that the Camelot site fits the Grey Belt definition. If it can convince a planning inspector of this argument, Story could be on to a winner.
The £80m redevelopment of Camelot would feature 350 homes, 35% of which would be affordable.
This level of discounted homes meets one of the government’s golden rules for development in the Grey Belt.
Last year, Chorley Council asked the government to afford its Green Belt greater protections amid an “unprecedented” level of housing applications from developers seeking to take advantage of the new rules around Grey Belt and Chorley’s housing land supply position.
To learn more about the project, search for reference number 25/00577/OUTMAJ on Chorley Council’s planning portal.
The appeal will begin on 5 May. You can track it by using reference number 3376957 on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Asteer Planning is advising Story Homes.
The council and Story were contacted for comment.
Story refuses to let it go down!
By Anonymous
Hopefully the appeal doesn’t become a Knightmare for the Council….
i’d have thought a Hearing might have been more appropriate given the ability for round table discussions.
By T.D.Smith
They need to demolish Camelot theme park and build the houses but no refusing seriously.
By Ian Rice
And don’t reject the plans at all
By Ian Rice