There has been another delay to the final verdict of High Peak planners on outline plans for the controversial Gladman housing estate which the Congleton-based developer wants to build in Whaley Bridge.

In a packed Town Hall in Chapel-en-le-Frith on Monday (16 Feb), campaigners from Whaley Bridge Matters (WBM) attended a meeting of High Peak Borough Council’s development control committee. They were expecting the committee to vote on the application again, after an earlier vote in favour had been set aside following a legal challenge.

Monday’s meeting was over in a matter of minutes when councillors decided in a unanimous vote that the planning officers needed more time to respond fully to the questions.

Gladman Development Ltd is seeking planning permission to build up to 107 houses on a greenfield site between Macclesfield Road and Linglongs Road. There has been a strong campaign against the plans, first made public more than a year ago.

Andy Brown from WBM said after the latest delay: “The Committee took a very responsible approach. Through our legal advisers we had been urging the Council to defer their vote in light of outstanding issues in several areas, including inadequate consultation, problems with the Officer’s report, and further material information coming forward. We are glad the Committee appears to have recognised the serious impact that these plans would have on Whaley Bridge.
Councillors now have the opportunity to consider properly and fully all the arguments put forward by and on behalf of the community.”