CAMPAIGNERS and runners are celebrating victory in their fight to defeat controversial plans for holiday lodges.

The 70 luxury cabins were earmarked for Delamere Forest, and came under the spotlight at a public inquiry in June.

The scheme was opposed by campaign group Communities Against Delamere’s Destruction (CADD), which was formed by local residents, and trail running group Delamere Spartans.

The Forestry Commission and Forest Holidays wanted to provide a replacement visitor centre, change the use of the existing visitor centre to offices, demolish the current offices and create 70 new holiday cabins.

Planning inspector Wenda Fabian, who conducted the inquiry, recommended the plans should be refused because of the harm they would cause to the Green Belt.

Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, agreed, and has refused the planning application, although The Forestry Commission and Forest Holidays can challenge the decision by making an application to the High Court.

CADD believed the scheme, if approved, would represent the beginning of the erosion of Delamere Forest, and Delamere Spartans was concerned about the impact of traffic and noise from the proposals.

CADD leader Nigel Gilding said: “Including the consultation period, this has been going on for over 30 months, and we have had many low points where we thought all was lost.

“Thankfully, the tenacity of all those involved has resulted in overturning what was a poor decision by CWAC’s strategic planning committee.

“Members of that committee should learn from this decision that they cannot continue to rubber-stamp development that does not accord with planning guidelines.

“Thankfully, my trust in democracy has been re-instated as a result of national intervention, and it’s a great shame it had to go that far.”

Delamere Spartans chairman Tim Holloway said: “We are all delighted by the decision of the Secretary of State, which we feel is the right one.

“Approving the application would have set a very poor precedent for development in the Green Belt.”

Mr Pickles agreed with the inspector that the replacement visitor centre would bring significant economic benefit, but the proposals would cause substantial harm to the Green Belt.

The Department for Communities and Local Government said: “The Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector that the benefits, when added together, are not sufficient to clearly outweigh the totality of the harm to the Green Belt.

“For these reasons the Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector that the very special circumstances necessary to justify the proposed development package in the Green Belt do not exist.”

The proposals were approved by Cheshire West and Chester’s strategic planning committee in October 2013, and were ‘called in’ by the Secretary of State.

A Forestry Commission spokesman said: "Forestry Commission England and Forest Holidays are expectedly disappointed that the Delamere Forest planning proposal has been unsuccessful, despite being found to have significant economic benefits, visual improvements, access and traffic management improvements and providing enhanced biodiversity for the forest.

"We are currently reviewing the Secretary of State’s decision and considering our options concerning our ambitions at this site."