A developer’s plan to go over the head of the district council to force through a 1,000-home development at Manthorpe has failed.
Larkfleet Homes, having already seen their proposal rejected by South Kesteven District Council and their appeal to the Secretary of State shot down, took their case all the way to the High Court.
However, a High Court Judge has also sided with the district council and the planning inspector despite Larkfleet arguing that the Grantham Area Action Plan proved a bar to any development outside of it.
The judge said the GAAP “did not create a bar or practically insurmountable hurdle for the appeal proposal, as alleged by the claimant”.
Two years ago more than 400 people signed a petition created by Coun Ray Wootten against the development.
Larkfleet Homes had attempted to get planning permission for the development despite it being outside the district council’s GAAP.
Had it been given the green light it would have meant more than 6,500 new homes would be built in Grantham between now and 2026 instead of the planned 5,500.
It may also have encouraged other developers to follow suit and submit their own applications for major developments outside the action plan.
However, last month South Kesteven District Council was forced to withdraw the Grantham Area Action Plan when planning inspector Roland Punshon deemed it “not fit for purpose”. The council was told not modify its plans before resubmitting in full.