Campaigners against ‘inappropriate development’ are furious after developers gained planning permission to build 142 homes on the Chester flood plain.
Bark Street Investments’ plan targeting Clifton Drive playing fields, off Sealand Road , had been refused by the government following a public inquiry but the decision was overturned by the High Court.
This resulted in another inquiry being held at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall last July which has today (February 27) concluded the development should go ahead.
Inspector Phillip Ware dismissed the argument around the loss of the playing fields because there was ‘no realistic prospect’ of them being returned to sports use. He said a mitigation package would provide ‘at least equivalent facilities’.
And he rejected the argument there was a preferred housing site – less prone to flooding – available in Wrexham Road , saying the position had moved on and it could ‘no longer be considered as being reasonably available’.
Andy Scargill, chairman of the Friends of North Chester Greenbelt , said: “I feel angry and disappointed. It’s total madness and opens the flood gates – literally – for development all the way along the flood plain.”
Mr Scargill said protection measures ought to be ‘more robust’ in the light of the December 2015 flooding events in Cumbria, North Wales, Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire.
And he compared Chester with Croston in Lancashire where the River Douglas burst its banks causing the village to be submerged and without power.
“The Dee is similar to the River Douglas and if the Dee went then the whole of the Sealand Basin would be under water,” added Mr Scargill, who took pictures of flooding in Sealand Road, which occurred on the first day of the public inquiry held last summer.
Bark Street Investments spokesman Colin Griffiths responded to the news: “We are naturally very pleased to eventually have the successful outcome we always expected and it’s a real shame it took three public inquiries in order to get there.”
He said concerns over building in the flood plain had been addressed and countered by the planning inspector and the Secretary of State.
“That issue is now closed and it would be irresponsible to raise it again,” he added.
| Cheshire West and Chester Council originally rejected Bark Street Investments’ 142-homes scheme, backed up at appeal, when inspector Ian Jenkins cited the ‘unacceptable harm to playing field provision in the area’. The company resubmitted the plan which was then narrowly backed by councillors but the decision was ‘called in’ for a second public inquiry after Sport England continued to oppose the loss of playing fields. Greg Clark, then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, concluded Bark Street Investments’ housing plans should not go ahead. But Mr Clark’s decision was overturned by the High Court following a legal challenge by Bark Street. His successor, Sajid Javid, decided to reopen the inquiry leading to the third public inquiry which has today found in favour of the applicant in a decision backed by Mr Javid. 
The decision may be scrutinised by another developer, Ospitium 4, who had wanted to build 140 terraced houses and 140 apartments for rent on farmland on the opposite side of Clifton Drive together with a new public park, children’s nursery, estate manager’s office and flood defence measures. The Ogilvie Park scheme was unanimously rejected by the planning committee based on the professional officer’s recommendation around flood risk and loss of green space. |
