BSP Consulting were part of the team supporting William Davis Homes Ltd to secure planning on a residential development in Walsall, following an appeal.
The development proposal for Longwood Lane in Walsall includes 115 dwellings comprising of a mix of market and affordable residential homes, green infrastructure and associated facilitating works, with all matters reserved except for access.
Walsall Council gave a refusal to grant outline planning permission on the grounds of inappropriate development on the green belt, increased traffic concerns and the potential impact on wildlife habitats and trees. William Davis Homes appealed the decision and it was overturned by a Government Planning Inspector.
BSP were involved in the initial application supporting with flood risk, noise and drainage strategies and BSP Director Jason Davenport acted as expert witness for highways and transport matters at the appeal. This involved preparing Proof of Evidence prior to the hearing and participating in cross examination by the council’s legal team.
Jason Davenport commented: “It is rare for a developer to take a planning decision to appeal due to the time, cost and work involved. The main points for review were lack of land supply and housing shortfall, the definition of green belt, ecology and arboriculture concerns and highways. We were able to support the formal enquiry by providing the necessary evidence on highways and transport matters to support the team in presenting the information required to overturn the planning refusal.”
Following a hearing, further public consultation and site visits, Planning Inspector Tom Gilbert-Wooldridge granted outline permission for 115 homes, accepting that the site should be categorised as Grey Belt rather than Green Belt.
Other issues in the appeal included trees and ecology but the Inspector was satisfied that concerns could be dealt with via conditions and, although there would be harm to biodiversity on site, the benefits of the proposal outweighed any adverse impacts.
Jason added: “Now that planning has been granted and the scheme can progress, we hope to support William Davis through the reserve matters applications and then onto the more detailed design and construction phases, supporting with infrastructure.”
BSP Consulting worked alongside Pegasus Group, Brindle & Green Environmental Consultants Limited and No5 Barristers’ Chambers, supporting William Davis Homes with the appeal.
For more information civil and structural engineering services from BSP Consulting visit: https://bsp-consulting.co.uk/.
