Plans for 99 new homes were unanimously rejected at a council meeting.
The application sought to build the homes on land west of Mill Lane in Newton-le-Willows, and it was recommended for refusal prior to St Helens Council committee meeting on December 6. Strong objections were submitted from neighbours in response to the plans.
Submissions were received from 41 separate addresses – 39 objecting and two in support of the application. The site of the proposed development was previously classed as green belt.
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Part of the grounds for the application being recommended for refusal include the proposed development by "virtue of its design and layout" resulting in a "visually isolated" form of development that would be "harmful to the general character and appearance of the area".
Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron said: "Tonight, all Labour Councillors on the Planning Committee voted to refuse the proposed 99 houses on the A49/Mill Lane.
"Not because we don’t need new houses, but because the land isn’t allocated in the Local Plan. And our plan shapes development across the borough until 2037.
"Ignoring the plan opens all land up everywhere. So because we have a plan, we can shape development evenly. "
Prior to the meeting, Cllr Gomez-Aspron said: "The officer recommendation shows the importance of having an upto date Local Plan, which all local opposition councillors voted against. If we didn’t have a new Local Plan, as required by Government, then this development would likely be approved.
"Don’t conflate that with us not needing new houses. We do. There are over 9000 cases on the housing waiting list in our borough.
"We do need quality housing. And the sites in the local plan provide that. But this isn’t one of them."
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