Cheshire East Council has announced that it is to mount a High Court challenge to the decision by a planning inspector to uphold the appeal made by Richborough Estates to develop land at Moorfields, Willaston, for the construction of 170 homes.

On legal advice from leading counsel, the authority has taken the view that there are sufficient grounds to justify an application to the High Court to challenge the decision by Government Planning Inspector Alan Boyland to grant planning consent to the builders and to overturn the original planning refusal by Cheshire East Council.

The matter was the subject of a planning inquiry this year and the outcome of the inquiry, before the planning inspector, was announced on August 1, 2014, that permission be granted for the erection of up to 170 dwellings and associated infrastructure together with open space.

Cheshire East Council argues that the planning inspector failed to understand, interpret or apply the correct approach in four areas of planning policy and housing need in relation to this particular site.