Turnden: Secretary of State ‘rethinking’ refusal of planning permission

Gove reported to have written to courts saying he will ask courts to quash original decision

It is being reported that Michael Gove is “rethinking” his refusal of planning permission for a new estate of 165 homes in the High Weald AONB at Turnden, near Cranbrook.

CPRE had played an important part in opposing the planned Berkeley Homes scheme and regretted the developer’s subsequent move to seek a review of Mr Gove’s decision.

The Times reported that Berkeley had written to Mr Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, telling him it planned to challenge his “irrational” decision to overrule a planning inspector in refusing permission for the proposed development.

Berkeley’s position rested largely on its view that Mr Gove had used out-of-date housing-land supply figures in making his decision.

It has since been reported that Mr Gove has written to Berkeley saying he will ask the courts to quash his original decision, made on his behalf by planning minister Rachel Maclean, and make a revised decision that omits the housing-land supply figures.

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