Council's decision to reject new homes 'chaotic'

A trust has said the decision not to build hundreds of homes was "chaotic and unreasonable".

Campaigners celebrated in April after Bath and North East Somerset Council refused major plans for 290 homes on the South Stoke plateau by Odd Down.

But now the Hignett Family Trust, who are behind the plans, have appealed to the government’s planning inspectorate to overturn the decision.

An inquiry - set to run for ten days - will be held in January.

The Hignett Family Trust described the homes as “a beautiful new addition to the city of Bath” but locals warned they would cause “carmageddon” on local roads.

The council’s own planning officers had recommended that the planning permission be granted but, when the plans first came before the committee in November 2023, councillors sent them back to the developers to ask for more information.

When the plans came before the committee again in April, a protest against the plans was held outside and over 100 people crowded into the public gallery to watch the meeting.

After three and a half hours spent discussing the plans, councillors on the committee rejected it 7-1.

But in their statement of case, the Hignett Family Trust said: “Both committee meetings were conducted in a somewhat chaotic manner in part due to the engagement of the public in attendance.”

Speaking directly after the plans were refused in April, Ned Garnett of the South of Bath Alliance said he was “delighted” with the planning committee’s decision.

He said: “The planning committee has listened to the arguments and the very strong feelings of the community.”

More than 1,200 people had objected to the homes being built, while just 18 people had commented in support.

Planning was refused on the grounds of failing to provide a mix of uses to create a sustainable community, not meeting the exceptional circumstances needed to build in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, causing harm to the settings of the double-World Heritage Site City of Bath and to non-designated heritage asset Sulis Manor, and adverse impact on trees and woodland.

The inquiry will be held on 28 January 2025.

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