Date: 15/02/2008
High Peak Borough Council has won costs after a developer's conduct at a planning appeal was judged unreasonable.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has ordered that George Wimpey Manchester Ltd (now known as Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd) pay the Council its costs, following the late withdrawal of an appeal against the refusal of planning permission.
George Wimpey had hoped to build houses on the Samas Roneo factory site in Gamesley, but withdrew their appeal after they were unable to renew their option to buy the property. The Secretary of State has ordered that the company meet the cost of the Council's abortive work in preparing for an appeal hearing that never happened.
This decision comes hot on the heels of the Council receiving costs of £1,600 - after an appeal at Lowfoot Farm, near Buxton was also judged unreasonable. In this case, the developer was criticised for pursuing an appeal against the refusal of planning permission, in the full knowledge that a very similar proposal on the same site had already been unsuccessful on a previous appeal.
Councillor Tony Kemp, High Peak Borough Council's Executive Member for Regeneration, said: "I believe it is the Council's responsibility to safeguard the money we administer, on behalf of local people. When unnecessary costs have been incurred, because of the unreasonable actions of a third party, we will not hesitate to recover those costs whenever we can."