High Court grants permission for a strategic housing development consisting of 102 residential units, despite the project materially contravening local development plan standards for plot ratio and density, on the grounds that the planning board's decision was within its jurisdiction, as it had properly considered national guidelines and policies, which took precedence over the local plan in this instance; and the environmental impact assessment conducted was adequate, addressing potential effects on groundwater and wildlife, including bats.
Strategic housing development - plot ratio - density - material contravention - local development plan - national guidelines - environmental impact assessment (EIA) - groundwater - bats - council consent - Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) - judicial review.