Plans for a new electric vehicle charging hub and drive-through restaurant along a busy commuter route have been refused following a planning appeal.
Planning inspector Zoe Raygen, an independent decision-maker appointed by the Secretary of State, dismissed the appeal by George Developments Limited, which had sought to overturn Stafford Borough Council’s refusal of its application for the development on land off the A34, opposite the George and Dragon pub at Meaford.
The scheme had proposed 31 electric vehicle charging bays equipped with solar panels, picnic areas, a substation and a drive-through restaurant, along with associated access, parking and landscaping. The planning application indicated that the scheme could create around 50 jobs.
However, the Inspector concluded that the development would be ‘inappropriate development in the Green Belt’, and said it would cause harm to both the openness and the rural character of the area.
While acknowledging the need for more EV charging points in the district, she found that there was ‘no substantive evidence before me to suggest that there is demonstrable unmet need for a drive through restaurant’.
She also raised concerns about the impact of the scheme on the landscape, stating: “The proposal would be significantly harmful to landscape character and would have moderately harmful visual impacts.”
Highway safety also played a key role in the decision, with the Inspector agreeing with the council that the proposed pedestrian crossing was not in a suitable location to ensure safe access to the restaurant.
Ms Raygen wrote: “In my view it is unlikely that residents would walk from the residential area down to the proposed crossing and then back towards the restaurant, but instead would attempt to cross the road near to the roundabout when they reach the road. I note this view is shared by the Highway Authority. I saw at my site visit that this is a busy environment and that attempts to cross the road without a pedestrian crossing, whether controlled or not, would be unsafe.”
Although she accepted that adequate parking provision had been made and noted some economic and environmental benefits, the Inspector concluded that they did not outweigh the harm to the Green Belt or the character of the area.
She concluded: “The very special circumstances necessary to justify the development do not exist.”
