Land At Heath House Lane Codsall

1. 1.The proposed development, comprising up to 550 dwellings including affordable housing and extra care accommodation, together with associated infrastructure, open space and ancillary development, would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Whilst the site is considered to comprise Grey Belt land, the proposal fails to satisfy the infrastructure-related Golden Rules set out in Policy GB8 of the National Planning Policy Framework and therefore does not fall within the exceptions identified by Policy GB7. The proposal would generate additional demand for First School places in an area where Staffordshire County Council, as Local Education Authority, has identified insufficient available capacity. No satisfactory, viable or deliverable mitigation strategy has been secured to address this shortfall and, as a consequence, it has not been demonstrated that the infrastructure necessary to support development of this scale can be provided. The proposal would therefore conflict with the infrastructure requirements of Policy GB8 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Furthermore, the proposal would undermine the coordinated approach to growth and infrastructure delivery underpinning the emerging Local Plan strategy for the Codsall and Bilbrook area, to which moderate weight is attached. In addition to the substantial weight that must be afforded to the harm arising from inappropriate development in the Green Belt, the proposal would result in significant harm to the openness of the Green Belt through the introduction of a substantial urban extension and associated infrastructure within an open and undeveloped countryside location. The proposal would also give rise to moderate to significant adverse effects on the local landscape, less than substantial harm to the setting of designated heritage assets, including Greenhills, adverse impacts on existing arboricultural resources and the irreversible loss of best and most versatile agricultural land. Whilst substantial weight is afforded to the benefits arising from the delivery of market and affordable housing, specialist accommodation for older persons, economic growth, public open space, green infrastructure and biodiversity enhancements, these considerations do not clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and loss of openness, together with the other harms identified. Very Special Circumstances have therefore not been demonstrated. Accordingly, the proposal is contrary to Policies CP1, GB1, CP4, EQ3, EQ4, EQ11 and EQ13 of the Core Strategy, Policies DS1, DS2, EC11, HC10, HC15, NB4 and NB8 of the emerging Local Plan, and Policies GB6, GB7 and GB8 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
2. 2.The applicant has failed to demonstrate, through a robust and agreed assessment of development trip assignment and junction capacity, the likely impact of the proposed development on the operation and safety of the surrounding local highway network. Whilst the Local Highway Authority accepts that certain outstanding matters, including construction access arrangements and aspects of pedestrian accessibility, could be addressed through appropriately worded planning conditions, it remains fundamentally concerned that the submitted trip assignment methodology does not adequately assess the distribution of development traffic and that the resulting junction capacity assessments are not reliable. As a consequence, the Local Planning Authority cannot be satisfied that the development would not result in unacceptable impacts on highway safety or severe residual cumulative impacts on the road network. In the absence of sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the development can be safely accommodated on the local highway network, the proposal fails to provide a safe and suitable access for all users and is contrary to the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework, in particular Policy TR6.
3. 3.In the absence of a completed planning obligation pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), the proposed development fails to secure the infrastructure, facilities, mitigation measures and community benefits necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms. In particular, no mechanism has been secured to provide affordable housing; education provision and contributions; biodiversity net gain monitoring and long-term habitat management; highway mitigation measures; public open space and play provision; sports and recreation provision; the delivery and safeguarding of the proposed extra care facility; community facilities; green infrastructure management; healthcare infrastructure; and other measures necessary to mitigate the impacts arising from the development. The Local Planning Authority cannot therefore be satisfied that the development would be supported by the necessary infrastructure, services and mitigation, or that it would contribute appropriately towards meeting the needs generated by the development. The proposal is consequently contrary to Core Policy 4 and Policy EQ13 of the South Staffordshire Core Strategy, Policies EC11, HC14, HC15 and HC18 of the emerging South Staffordshire Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

From the council's decision notice.

Application type

Major Outline Application

Scale / size

Large

Number of dwellings

550

Parish

CODSALL

Date validated

27 October 2025

Consultation expiry

5 March 2026

Consultation start

18 February 2026

Consultation end

22 July 2026

Neighbour consultation start

5 November 2025

Last date for comments

5 March 2026

Target decision date

31 August 2026

Agent

Ampa

Agent address

Ampa Marrons Cubo 38 Carver Street Sheffield S1 4FS

Statutory period

91 days

Last advertised

13 November 2025

Advertisement expiry

4 December 2025

Site notice start

6 November 2025

Site notice end

27 November 2025

Planning Portal ID

PP-14412712

Documents

106

Constraints

21