The Planning Inspectorate has allowed the appeal to build 32 houses off The Meadows in Old Stratford.
WNC refused the application with concerns about it being outside the village confines, access and flooding.
Following the October floods in Stony Stratford, I wrote to the Planning Inspectorate to update them with fresh evidence. They replied it was out of time for submissions so would not be considered. Sadly we could organise the rain for the timetable of the Planning Inspectorate.
I cannot agree with this decision, it is madness but I cannot be too surprised. I expect winning appeals to be all the harder following the changes announced to the planning system by the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, a few weeks back.
This decision is unfortunate but now we must ensure that they are held to every condition.
The full decision is here
WNC has also had an award of costs against them. Costs are only awareded when one party acts unreasonably the Inspector found this to be the case with the behaviour of the Officers. He was satisfied that the councillors were acting reasonably when they refused the application. The Inspector found that a landscape report was withheld, the council tried to change the mix of homes and tried to change the flooding report. All this taken together meant extra costs for the applicant awarded against the useless and failing planning department.
The costs decision is here