The original planning application for Toads Hole Valley was made in November 2018 (BH2018/03633). We received more than 450 comments on the application.
We were not able to give a decision on the application, due to issues raised by both National Highways and the council. There was not enough information to assess the impact on the A27 and other local roads.
This information was essential for the Planning Committee. Without it they could not decide to grant or refuse the application. This delayed our decision.
Because the decision was delayed, the developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. The government appointed a Planning Inspector to hold a public inquiry. The inquiry was to decide if they would grant or refuse the planning application. The inquiry was to have taken place in June 2022.
In April 2022, after the appeal was first lodged, the outstanding transport information was provided. This was assessed to be acceptable. This led the Local Highway Authority and National Highways to remove their objections to the scheme.
Go to our Planning Register website to view the traffic model audit and road safety audit documents and search for reference BH2022/00203.
At a special Planning Committee meeting on 25 May 2022 councillors withdrew the reasons for refusal. They informed the Planning Inspector of the change in the council’s position for the inquiry.
The developer submitted another planning application which was identical to the original one submitted in 2018. In May 2022 the special Planning Committee approved this (BH2022/00203).
As a result, in June the developer withdrew its appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. This meant that the public inquiry, due to have started on 9 June 2022, was cancelled.
In August 2022 a further application was made by the developers to replace part of the proposed secondary school in the original application land with a further 182 homes, 40% of which would be affordable.
The applicants put forward the case that a new school is no longer required by the city given falling pupil numbers and that further homes should be given priority, considering the city’s housing shortage.
Although details will not be finalised until a later stage of the application process, the Planning Committee were briefed that the initial proposal for the other 60% of the houses is for:
There would also be 9 additional custom/self-build plots.
The remainder of the former school land will provide a 3G sports pitch and multi-use game area under the original permission. Construction would take place in at the same time as the rest of the Toads Hole Valley development, which is proposed in phases.
Planning permission was granted in March 2023.
In November 2023 a new planning application was submitted to vary conditions attached to the original planning permission. This is to ensure the conditions also reference the additional housing permission that was subsequently granted instead of the school.