SECRETARY of State Hazel Blears was less sympathetic to Helioslough's first planning application than the inspector who heard the inquiry, Strife's barrister Paul Stinchcombe has stressed.

Cross-examining Helioslough's planning consultant Richard Tilley, Mr Stinchcombe pointed out that although inspector Andrew Phillipson had said the benefits of the project, apart from the shortcomings of the sites assessment, outweighed the harm to the Green Belt, Ms Blears said merely they were “capable” of doing so.

Mr Stinchcombe has also forced Mr Tilley to acknowledge that Andy Mead, the current inspector, is fully entitled to disagree with both Mr Phillipson and Ms Blears.

Mr Tilley said: “He is allowed to come to a different conclusion using his planning judgement.”