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Bordon Hill Appeal Allowed

cpremyles
By cpremyles
9th September 2025
An appeal by a developer to build 130 houses in view of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in Stratford has been allowed. The appeal, brought by Gladman Developments Ltd, was allowed by the Planning Inspectorate despite the Council’s strong opposition on grounds of landscape impact, heritage concerns, and conflict with local planning policies. Stratford on Avon District Council has expressed disappointment in the decision of the Planning Inspectorate to allow Gladman’s appeal against their decision; George Cowcher,  Deputy Leader and Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder for the Council, was ‘extremely disappointed by the decision’.
Below is a press release written by Nicholas Butler, on behalf of CPRE Warwickshire.

 

DISASTER FOR THE COUNTRYSIDE

Half way up Borden Hill to the west of Stratford-upon-Avon is a large open field, which is the point at which the town gives way to countryside.   This field is also within the curtilage of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, a building of international fame and importance.

So very properly the Stratford District Council roundly refused more than one application to build houses on this site, but following an appeal by the developers, Gladman’s, which was decided by a public inquiry, the latest application, 23/00969/FUL, has been allowed
Why did this happen?   Because the Government, in order to achieve a target of 1.5 million new homes, has demanded that more land be given over to development and this demand has been allowed to overrule the policies in the Core Strategy that sternly forbid this sort of development.
If houses can be built on such a sensitive site such as this they can be built anywhere. The precedent set by this decision is perfectly appalling, for there is little hope of preventing our countryside being ruined for the present and future generations.  Our planning system of putting houses in the right places is now completely overturned and we can only expect more applications of a similar nature to follow.
This decision is a disaster of the first magnitude.
David Steele

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