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Planning appeal decision

Notice varied and upheld25 August 20233270397

Woodlands Farm, Wood Lane, Arborfield, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 4TS

Planning appeal 3270397 at Woodlands Farm, Wood Lane, Arborfield, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 4TS (Wokingham Borough Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 25 August 2023 by Inspector Higenbottam H, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the development on highway safety.

i. Without planning permission, the material change of use of ‘the Land’ to a sui generis use of a contractor’s yard (including the storage of materials, equipment associated paraphernalia and parking of vehicles) and offices. ii. Without planning permission, the erection of two office buildings, the laying of hard surfacing, engineering operations to level the land, erection of security gates and fences

Authority
Wokingham Borough Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Hearing
Development
employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector
Higenbottam H
Postcode
RG41 4TS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the development on highway safety
  • whether the development is appropriate to a countryside location
  • the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
  • the effect of the development on the living conditions of occupiers of nearby properties particularly in relation to noise and disturbance

What decided it

The cumulative and unmitigable harm to highway safety, rural character and appearance, and neighbours' living conditions (noise and disturbance) from the contractor's yard use outweighed the economic benefits and comparative sustainability of the site.

the economic benefits of the contractor's yard and its no-greater-unsustainability than the previous lawful use did not outweigh the harm found to highway safety, character and appearance, and living conditions

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy CP1Policy CP3Policy CP6Policy CP9Policy CP11Policy CC01Policy TB20Policy TB21Policy GA1
Judgments
Mansi v Elstree RDC [1964] 16 P&CR 153

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 Wokingham Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

  1. Allowed8 June 20263371069
    Land North of Reading Road, Arborfield, RG2 9HN
  2. Notice varied and upheld1 May 20263346384
    Old Billingbear Brickworks, Carters Hill, Binfield, Wokingham, RG40 5RS
  3. Notice upheld10 March 20263374730
    Land at Gravelley Bridge Farm, Grazeley Green Road, Grazeley, Reading, RG7 1LG
  4. Notice varied and upheld4 March 20263358834
    Bluebell Farm, Commonfield Lane, Wokingham, RG40 4RP
  5. Allowed26 January 20263374952
    Unit 10, Land at Headley Road East, Woodley, RG5 4SN

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.