The council initially rejected the development on Preston Road, Grimsargh, citing an impact to rural character, but a government inspector overruled the objection after what the council alleges was a miscalculation with regards to the area’s housing supply for the next five years.
Councillor Brian Rollo, Chair of Preston City Council’s Planning Committee, said: “The simple fact is we believe they’ve got it wrong and made an error in their calculations – especially about how many homes are being built over the next five years.
“There were strong local objections to the development, and as the planning authority, we shared those too.
“It’s basically building on open countryside, so if we don’t stand up and say somebody somewhere has made a mistake, then future planning controls in Preston could be affected.”
The initial planning application was made by Gladman Developments Ltd in November 2014, which Preston City Council refused in March 2015.
Despite the opposition, an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government approved an appeal by Gladman Developments on 9th May this year, after concluding that the Council could not demonstrate a five-year supply of housing.
However, Brian insisted that the council was committed to allowing the city to grow provided it did not impact areas that needed protection.
He added: “We are confident we have got that balance right, certainly with the development [at Grimsargh], and look forward to making our case to the High Court.”
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