A DEVELOPER has shelved plans to build 26 homes in Goostrey after withdrawing its planning appeal to a Government inspector.

The estate of S H Darlington, of Chelford Road, Somerford, submitted a proposal to build 26 homes on the 22sqm plot of land to the east of Hermitage Lane and south of the Nether Lea estate in the village in 2014.

The site, part of the Peasant Farm estate, was refused planning application in the 1970s but in 1977 the neighbouring Nether Lea was site was granted permission following an appeal.

In November 2014, Cheshire East Council refused the plans for the 26 homes on the grounds of the council had a 'five-year housing supply', the proposed site is open countryside and there are no grounds to extend the village settlement boundary and the impact on the operations of Jodrell Bank Observatory.

And in July, the developer appealed the decision, which meant a planning inspector was due to decide the fate of the application at a hearing that was expected to take place in November or December this year.

But following the appeal being withdrawn earlier this month, this hearing will no longer take place.

Martin Brown, from the Hermitage Lane and Nether Lea Action Group, told the Guardian the reasons behind the appeal u-turn were unclear.

"We've been trying to find out the reason but haven't found anything positive as yet," he said.

"It is probably a combination of things such as the cost and the effect of Jodrell Bank, as well as the support around the village as there has been a lot of objections to the appeal.

"Whether it has been a combination of things I just don't know at the moment. But the bottom line is that it is good news.

"We're just hoping they haven't sold the land on."