It is a scenario increasingly familiar to residents across Warwickshire: the local council refuses a major development based on community and environmental concerns, only to be overruled by a central government body months later. In September, the “Battle for Bordon Hill” ended not in the Stratford-on-Avon District Council chamber, but via a ruling from the Planning Inspectorate, greenlighting 130 new homes against stark local opposition.
The controversial proposal brought by Gladman Developments Ltd, located on land adjacent to Chutneys on Bordon Hill, was initially rejected by local planners. The District Council argued that the development would negatively impact the landscape and local heritage assets. However, the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to uphold the developer’s appeal has rendered those local objections moot, sparking fury among councillors and concern among residents about the future of Stratford’s green edges.
The Housing Supply Trap
Why did the national Inspectorate overrule the local decision? The crux of the defeat lies in technical planning rules that have recently been weighted dramatically against local authorities.
The Inspector’s ruling highlighted that Stratford-on-Avon District Council (SDC) could no longer demonstrate the legally required “five-year housing land supply.” When a council cannot prove it has five years of deliverable housing sites ready to go, national planning policy dictates that the “presumption in favour of sustainable development” applies, making it incredibly difficult to stop speculative applications.
According to the Council, this deficit was not caused by a lack of local building, but by moving goalposts from central government. SDC revealed they are facing a staggering 52% increase in centrally imposed housing targets under the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This retrospective target hike effectively tilts the planning balance heavily in favor of developers, overriding local environmental protections.
“Undermining Our Communities”
The reaction from Elizabeth House to the appeal decision was swift and angry. In an official statement, the Council expressed its “extreme disappointment,” arguing the decision directly undermines local planning policies and local democracy.
“We are extremely disappointed by this decision,” Councillor George Cowcher, Deputy Leader and Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder said. “It undermines our local planning policies and the wishes of our communities. The District Council has a strong record in housing supply and in the past 5 years we have consistently exceeded our housing building targets, despite this, the significant increases in centrally imposed housing targets have meant that we have been unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
“The Inspector’s ruling shows how the Government is determined to push through housing applications, even when they conflict with environmental and cultural protections.”
A Dangerous Precedent?
The loss at Bordon Hill is more than just one housing estate; it sets a worrying precedent for the wider Stratford-upon-Avon area. It signals to developers that the town’s defensive planning walls are currently breached due to the five-year supply issue.
The Council has stated it is investigating “urgent steps to address the deficit and regain control over local planning decisions,” which may include pressure to accelerate the delayed South Warwickshire Local Plan.
Until that gap is plugged, other greenfield sites around the town remain highly vulnerable to speculative developers who know the planning door is currently wide open, regardless of what local residents say.
