Henry Boot's land promotion and planning business, Hallam Land, has won an appeal to secure outline planning permission for 300 homes in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and has simultaneously unconditionally exchanged contracts on a sale to Harron Homes.
The outcome is being hailed as indicative of a turning tide in favour developers under a Labour government eager to remove any and all obstructions to development, especially house-building.
In 2012, Hallam entered into an initial planning promotion agreement with the landowners. A planning application was first submitted in 2017, followed by a resubmission in 2022. Ashfield District Council failed to make a decision on the application, which led Hallam to appeal in July 2024 based on non-determination. The appeal was successful, resulting in the full approval in February 2025. The appeal inspector also determined that the council's 鈥榰nreasonable鈥� behaviour justified Hallam receiving a full award of costs.
In July 2024, Hallam exchanged contracts with Harron Homes for the sale of the site, which was conditional upon securing outline planning. That deal is now unconditionally exchanged and is set to complete in 2026.
The planning consent for the site includes 300 homes, as well as new landscaping, habitat creation, and seven acres of public space. The biodiversity net gain calculation forecasts a 12% net gain for surrounding habitats.
Hallam currently has active appeals on five other sites, totalling around 2,500 residential plots.
Henry Boot chief executive Tim Roberts said: "Securing this planning consent on appeal marks a significant milestone in the positive changes which are being made to the UK's planning system under the current government. Hallam has achieved planning on approximately 3,000 plots over the past six months, and we seek to take advantage of the improving planning system by submitting 10,000 plots over the next 12 months to deliver much-needed homes across the country and also deliver returns for our shareholders."
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