®Planning appeal decision
Land south of Berry Court Farm Solar Farm, Bramley Road, Little London, Tadley, Hampshire, RG26 5EX
described on the application form as, in summary, the formation of earth bunds around the perimeter of what was a paddock used for the keeping of horses. Summary
- Authority
- Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- employment-industrial · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Freer P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether there is need for the use alleged in the notice to be in the countryside
- The effect of the development on the landscape, and on the character and appearance of the area, including the effect on trees
- The effect of the development on biodiversity
- Whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant the LDC was well founded
What decided it
The significant, unmitigated harm to biodiversity (loss of hedgerow and habitat for protected species) and to landscape character and views, which outweighed the social and economic benefits of the caravan storage use.
The economic and social/tourism benefits of the caravan storage facility (NPPF paras 81 and 84(b)) were outweighed by the significant harm to landscape character and biodiversity, so the development was found contrary to the development plan and the Framework overall.
Framework references: 84, 81, 92, 180, 8
Plan policies cited: Policy EP4, Policy EM1, Policy EM10, Policy EM4
Judgments cited: Ewen Developments Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment [1980] JPL 404; Prengate Properties Ltd (and another) v. Secretary of State for the Environment (and others) (1973) 25 P&CR 311
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.