The Communities Secretary has found that a proposed residential development would interfere with sensors at the nearby Jodrell Bank Observatory, according to Place North West.
Place North West writes:
Gladman had applied to the council to build 119 homes on a 17-acre plot off Main Road in Goostrey. Jodrell Bank objected to the proposals, and Cheshire East planning officers agreed that noise from the development would affect the work of the observatory.
In its decision letter, the office of the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid agreed that ‘there would at least be some additional interference resulting from the proposed development’.
While he acknowledged Cheshire East’s ‘significant’ issue with a housing land supply shortfall, the secretary described it as ‘a local issue’, outweighed by the fact that ‘Jodrell Bank Observatory is a facility of international importance, such that its protection from the identified harm transcends the current housing land supply circumstances. He considers that the harm to the efficiency of the Radio Telescope carries substantial weight against the proposal.’
Jodrell Bank Observatory is the home of the Lovell Telescope and operates e-MERLIN, the UK’s national radio astronomy facility comprising seven radio telescopes spread over 217 km.
Earlier this month, the construction of 201 homes by Redrow in Congleton was approved by Cheshire East’s planning committee, despite also receiving an objection from Jodrell Bank, which said that it ‘opposes development in the area as a general principle’.
