Peter Cruickshank represents Canterbury City Council in significant planning appeal for 300 homes

An application for planning permission was made by Gladman Developments for 300 homes in the village of Littlebourne near Canterbury. There was considerable local opposition to the proposal. Residents were concerned about increased impacts on the roads and a lack of bus provision, the impacts of new homes on local sewerage infrastructure, ecological impacts on the local chalk stream, as well as visual impacts and the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land. The matter came before Canterbury City Council’s Planning Committee at two meetings, with officers recommending to approve. The site was allocated in Canterbury’s draft Local Plan, offered affordable housing, and the City Council could not demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply. But the Planning Committee voted to refuse the application, giving 5 reasons for refusal that mirrored local residents’ concerns.

By a subsequent vote, however, the Planning Committee then decided not to challenge the appeal, and the City Council did not call evidence to contest the appeal at the inquiry.

Peter represented Canterbury City Council, and he was instructed by Cath Wallen of the City Council. The inquiry was held in February 2026. A significant matter at the inquiry was an intervention of the County Council in respect of developer contributions through CIL and under the s.106. There were issues of “ringfencing” CIL monies and top ups through the s.106, with the sums running into the millions. Overall, this was a particularly technical case which generated press coverage, for example:

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/villagers-in-david-versus-goliath-battle-with-developer-as-336637/

and https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyexlp4519o.