A DEVELOPER has officially appealed the council's decision to refuse a planning application for 99 homes in Newton-le-Willows.

As reported by the Star, Wain Homes submitted a proposal for 99 houses on land off Mill Lane, on the edge of Newton-le-Willows, in November 2023.

The proposals would have seen homes built on land that had been removed from the green belt by St Helens Council, but the local authority's planning committee rejected the plans in March 2024.

This was the second time the council had rejected plans from Wain Homes for this site, with a similar proposal also refused in December 2022.

READ > Market operator to 'curate a mix of occupiers' for new modern market hall

The proposals, which would have contained 30 percent "affordable housing", aimed to construct homes on identified 'white land', which is vacant land without any specific proposals for development.

However, the remainder of the site, including an access and emergency link road, would have been built on safeguarded land.

Following Wain Homes' second submission, St Helens Council stated that the provision of an access and emergency access road through a safeguarded housing site conflicts with the requirements of its Local Plan, which identifies opportunities for housing, employment, and developments.

Wain Homes is appealing the decision to refuse the applicationWain Homes is appealing the decision to refuse the application (Image: Wain Homes) The council also said that the development would result in a "visually isolated form of development that would be harmful to the general character and appearance of the area".

The refusal notice further explained that the application "fails to create a high quality and well-connected development, resulting in a poorly planned residential development, that would cause harm to the visual amenity and landscape character of the area".

Further reasons for refusal included issues with the provision of public open space, a lack of mitigation for the loss of trees, and an inadequate drainage strategy.

It was also noted that the applicant did not formally submit any financial commitment towards education provision or cycling and walking infrastructure, with developers often offering to improve local amenities around sites they are interested in.

Despite the second refusal, Wain Homes have appealed this decision to the government's Planning Inspectorate.

In its previous planning application, the developer explained that it has an "overall masterplan vision" for the site, with aims to build up to 300 homes.

A spokesperson for the Planning Inspectorate confirmed that an Inspector has been appointed and an inquiry into the application is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3.