- Decision
- refused, 8 September 2026
- Decided by
- Council planning committee: Chorley Planning Committee (minded-to decision for non-determination appeal; unanimous)
- Authority
- Chorley (North West)
- Appeal reference
- 6014396
- Application reference
- 25/01052/FULMAJ
- Procedure
- committee
- Development
- 58 dwellings, all affordable, with open space, play area and access from Moor Road
- Homes
- 58
- Site context
- green belt, settlement edge, near station
- Green Belt
- Yes (grey belt accepted)
- Housing land supply
- 3.4 years
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- GB7(1)(g), TR3, S5(5)
- Development plan policies
- Central Lancashire Core Strategy 2012 Policy 1, Chorley Local Plan 2012-2026, emerging Central Lancashire Local Plan
- Main issues
- grey belt at a village edge; sustainable location; spatial strategy conflict vs NPPF
Summary
58 affordable homes on a Green Belt field at the edge of Croston, a village with a station. Officers found grey belt: a village is not a "large built-up area", so purpose (a) is weak. They passed all GB7(1)(g) limbs and recommended approval. The appeal against non-determination was already running. Members unanimously said they would have refused, but gave only the Core Strategy spatial strategy (Policy 1) and the emerging plan as the reason. They did not give a Green Belt reason.
Issues and findings
- Grey belt: PASS. "the NPPG states that villages should not be considered large built-up areas. The settlement of Croston is adjacent to the site, however, this is a village … The contribution of the site to purpose (a) is, therefore, considered to be weak" (Report ¶40).
- Sustainable location: PASS. "Morrisons convenience store is approximately 0.5km which is a 7-minute walk. Croston Medical Centre is approximately 0.3km … Croston train station is 0.5km and a 7-minute walk" (¶65). "The pedestrian route to the bus stops and train station along Moor Road has consistent footways with streetlighting and the speed limit in this location is reduced to 20mph" (¶66). "Whilst it is likely that the private vehicle would still be utilised … sustainable transport options such as walking, the bus and the train offer genuine alternatives" (¶70).
- 2026 NPPF update. "The proposal would still be assessed as grey belt under the tests set out in Policy GB7 … the amendments do not result in any material change" (Update ¶8, ¶10).
- Members' reason: "contrary to policy 1 of the Central Lancashire Core Strategy and the emerging Central Lancashire Local Plan" (Minutes 22a).
What made the difference
Officers' case was strong: a village edge, services and a station within about 500 m on lit 20 mph footways, and 100% affordable housing. Members fell back on spatial strategy. That reason is weak once GB7 makes the scheme not inappropriate and S5(5) applies the "substantially outweighed" test. Expect a costs risk at the written-representations appeal (6014396).
Transferable points
- At a village edge, purpose (a) is typically weak because villages are not "large built-up areas" (Report ¶40). Grey belt objections at villages have to rest on (b) and (d), or on limb (iii).
- The benchmark for a PASS on limb (iii): shops, medical centre and station within about 500 m on continuous lit footways at 20 mph (¶65–66). That is the opposite of a rural lane without footways.
- A refusal resting only on local plan spatial strategy is exposed where GB7(1)(g) is met, because S5(5) then applies the "substantially outweighed" test.
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnnexB:grey-belt | pass | officers — Croston is a village, so not a 'large built-up area' (weak on (a)); LUC 2022 limited/no contribution; (b) and (d) not strong | |
| GB7(1)(g)(ii) | pass | 3.4-year supply | |
| GB7(1)(g)(iii) | pass | adjoins village; Morrisons 0.5 km (7 min), medical centre 0.3 km, station 0.5 km (hourly to Preston, 16 min); buses 337/347 Mon-Sat; lit footways, 20 mph; new 2 m footways, DDA bus stops, two crossings, £100k bus subsidy | |
| GB8 | pass | 100% affordable; contributions; open space | |
| Central Lancashire CS Policy 1 | conflict | members' sole refusal reason — spatial strategy (and emerging CLLP); no Green Belt reason given |
Key facts
- Officers recommended approval (twice); deferred 4 Aug 2026 on drainage; appeal for non-determination lodged 10 Aug 2026 (written reps, LPA statement due 23 Sep 2026)
- Members unanimously minded to refuse on Core Strategy Policy 1 spatial strategy only
- Local MP spoke in objection
- Croston station 0.5 km with hourly service (not "well-connected" under Annex B)
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.