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Allowed10 December 20213265729

Avington Wellsite, Land off Matterley Farm, Petersfield Road, Ovington Down, Hampshire, SO24 0HU

Planning appeal 3265729 at Avington Wellsite, Land off Matterley Farm, Petersfield Road, Ovington Down, Hampshire, SO24 0HU (South Downs) was allowed on 10 December 2021 by Inspector Osgathorp C, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether or not the proposal would conserve and enhance the landscape, scenic beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the South Downs National Park.

use of wellsite and surface and sub-surface infrastructure for a period of 5 years to allow for appraisal of oil and gas

Authority
South Downs
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Hearing
Development
minerals-waste · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
Inspector
Osgathorp C

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether or not the proposal would conserve and enhance the landscape, scenic beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the South Downs National Park.

What decided it

The Inspector found that the proposal would not compromise the reasons for the National Park's designation and that exceptional circumstances existed given the demonstrable national need for oil exploration and the use of already-existing infrastructure.

The significant benefits of the energy supply and economic contribution, combined with no identified harm to the National Park's landscape, wildlife or cultural heritage, supported a finding of exceptional circumstances justifying the development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy SD1Policy SD2Policy SD4Policy SD9Policy 4Policy 24
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 176Paragraph 177Paragraph 209Paragraph 211

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in South Downs

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2021

  1. Notice varied and upheld23 April 20263371500
    Land at Quin Hay Fram, Petersfield Road, Froxfield, Petersfield , GU32 1BZ
  2. Allowed12 December 20253367560
    The Newman Collard Playing Field, Hill Brow Road, Liss, Hampshire, GU33 7LE
  3. Dismissed19 August 20253365541
    Downlands Farm, Priors Dean, Petersfield, GU32 1BP
  4. Dismissed22 July 20253362006
    Foxbury Farm, West Burton Road, West Burton, West Sussex, RH20 1HD
  5. Allowed22 May 20253353895
    North-East of A3 Northbound Interchange, B2070, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU31 5SX

The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.