DEVASSIST: Inspector approves 155-home scheme

Inspector approves 155-home scheme after identifying major housing land supply shortfall

A recent appeal decision has highlighted just how sharply housing land supply positions can shift, with the Planning Inspectorate granting outline permission for 155 new homes in open countryside after finding that Blaby District Council’s supply had fallen to 2.45 years.

The scheme was put forward by land promoter Gladman Developments in mid-2024 and sought consent for up to 155 dwellings, including as many as 39 affordable homes, on a site outside the defined settlement boundary of Littlethorpe in Leicestershire.

Blaby District Council refused the application earlier this year, arguing that the development “would represent an unwarranted intrusion of urban development beyond the existing well-defined settlement boundary of Littlethorpe” and that it “would cause significant and demonstrable harm to the character and appearance of the local landscape and countryside and character of the village”.

An appeal was submitted and considered by inspector Mark Brooker, whose decision was issued on 3 November.

Housing land supply at the heart of the appeal

Before turning to landscape and character impacts, Brooker reviewed the council’s housing land supply position and concluded that only a 2.45-year supply could be demonstrated. He described this as a “significant” shortfall. By comparison, Planning’s Housing Land Supply Index recorded a 3.69-year supply for Blaby in May 2024, indicating a steep decline in a relatively short period.

This deficit meant that the tilted balance in the National Planning Policy Framework came into play, rendering key housing policies out of date. Brooker noted that both the appellant and the council had reached an agreement through “an addendum statement of common ground amending the council’s position”.

He recorded that the parties accepted that “applying the tilted balance the harms identified, whether adjudged on the basis of the council’s assessment or the appellant’s, do not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of providing additional housing at a time when the council has a substantial shortfall against the requirement to demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land”.

Landscape impact considered, but outweighed by need

Brooker acknowledged that the proposals would change the rural character of the immediate area. However, he found that when viewed from countryside footpaths, the new development would sit against a “backdrop of existing built development”, reducing the overall level of visual intrusion. Proposed landscaping was expected to “substantially soften” the effect.

Importantly, he concluded that the scheme would not lead to coalescence between Littlethorpe and nearby Narborough.

Overall, Brooker characterised the landscape impact as a “long-term minor to moderate adverse effect on the character of the appeal site itself”, but only “minor adverse overall”, given the containment of the land and the influence of development already present nearby.

On this basis, he determined that the scheme would not cause “unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the area, including the local landscape” and allowed the appeal.

Council response

A spokesperson for Blaby District Council said: “We are disappointed that the housing land supply of Blaby District has fallen below five years; along with councils across the country we are working hard to support the market to provide much-needed housing.”

They noted that mandatory housing targets introduced in December 2024 had increased the council’s annual requirement, rising from 380 homes per year to 539. The spokesperson added that the council’s “proactive approach to planning” includes preparing a new local plan to 2040 and working closely with housebuilders before applications are submitted.

What this means for conveyancers and homebuyers

Appeal outcomes like this underline how quickly development pressures can change, particularly where councils are unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply. Once the tilted balance applies, sites on the edge of existing settlements become far more likely to come forward, even where councils have previously refused them.

For conveyancers, this reinforces the importance of looking beyond the red line of the property and assessing the wider planning context. A site that appears to be open countryside today may already be the subject of active promotion or could become a target for development if a shortfall emerges.

For homebuyers, understanding the potential for future housing around a property is essential. As this case shows, decisions can hinge on supply figures that shift rapidly, and land previously considered unlikely to be developed can change status almost overnight.

DevAssist reports are designed to identify these risks early, helping both conveyancers and their clients make informed decisions with full knowledge of what may change in the years ahead.

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