Gladman Homes high court appeal bid to save 245-home development close to defeat

High court judge Mrs Justice Lang ruled that the developer’s appeal on the Emmer Green development ‘has no prospect of success’.

Mrs Lang has, however, agreed to grant Gladman Homes a brief private ‘oral hearing’ in March to allow the developer to plead its case for a full court hearing.

Gladman lodged the appeal after its planning application near Emmer Green was rejected by both South Oxford District Council (SODC) and a government inspector.

In challenging the appeal verdict, Gladman alleged planning inspector Nick Palmer had failed to correctly identify the relevant housing need figure according to the requirements of the Oxfordshire Growth Deal.

The developer also claimed that the inspector incorrectly assessed the South Oxfordshire deliverable housing supply.

Mrs Justice Lang said the claims had no prospect of success as Mr Palmer’s made ‘reasonable and lawful’ planning judgment.

She rejected Gladman's allegations and said that the developer misunderstood the inspector’s decision.

Government inspector Nick Palmer dismissed Gladman’s appeal in November, ruling that development at the site would conflict with South Oxfordshire development policies for where houses should go, and would do significant harm to the landscape.

The plans have been fought by the Campaign against Gladman in Eye and Dunsden (CAGE) since they were first put forward in 2017.

Councillor Clare Grashoff, Peppard ward representative for Reading Borough Council (RBC), said the development would have ‘a significant impact on Reading’ if it went ahead.

Cllr Grashoff said: “Gladman have based its application on the idea that people can go to school in Reading and use all Reading’s services.

“The housing need that Gladman said it would be meeting is in Oxfordshire but people are less likely to be going to Oxfordshire.

“Infrastructure is more limited in Emmer Green. We cannot have bus lanes here because the roads are too narrow.”