Weston Homes is taking legal advice regarding an application to the High Court asking for a Statutory Review with the aim of overturning a decision by the Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick, regarding the refusal of a £271 million regeneration scheme in Norwich.
In a letter to Weston Homes plc, dated 12th November 2020, the Housing Minister outlined his reasons for a refusal for the scheme, which he said "does not protect and enhance the physical, environmental and heritage assets of the city."
The decision comes despite the results of a public inquiry, where the planning inspector recommended that the Secretary of State that he should support the decision of the Council and uphold a planning consent granted for the redevelopment in the city centre in 2018.
Weston Homes said that the Anglia Square redevelopment project would represent a massive investment, providing just over 1,200 new homes, a hotel, cinema, new shops, enhanced public realm and car parking. The initial proposals were amended to lower the height of a proposed tower within the scheme, with more amenities added and the public realm enhanced throughout, along with a major upgrade to a section of the city’s cycle network.
Bob Weston, Chairman & Chief Executive of Weston Homes, says: “We intend to fight Robert Jenrick’s ‘undemocratic and commercially unjustified’ decision in the High Court and seek to get his ruling overturned. The Secretary of State has gone against local democracy and the recommendations of a public inquiry.”
"The message it sends out to all housebuilders is – ‘don’t invest, don’t make planning applications, don’t plan for the future because this Conservative Government doesn’t support housing or the economy," he added.