Westerleigh Group Ltd v Secretary of State for Communities And Local Government and others

Town and country planning – Appeal to Minister against refusal of permission for development. The claimant challenged the decision of the inspector appointed by the first defendant Secretary of State to grant the third defendant conditional planning permission for the construction of a new crematorium and associated development. The Planning Court, in dismissing the application, held that the inspector had not been unreasonable or irrational in the application of the Secretary of State's published criteria in determining that the appeal should be decided under the written representations procedure. Further, absent a finding by the inspector that the proposal gave rise to significant or conspicuous adverse effects, he had not been obliged to consider alternative sites.