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Dismissed17 November 20213272171

Land at Warren Farm, Between Junctions 16-17 of the M25 Motorway, Buckinghamshire, SL9 0QF

Planning appeal 3272171 at Land at Warren Farm, Between Junctions 16-17 of the M25 Motorway, Buckinghamshire, SL9 0QF (Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area *) was dismissed on 17 November 2021 by Inspector Dakeyne M, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect on Green Belt openness and purposes.

the erection of a motorway service area with all matters reserved with the exception of access from the M25, comprising of a facilities building, fuel filling station, electric vehicle charging, up to 100-bedroom hotel, service yard, parking facilities, vehicle circulation, landscaping, woodland and amenit y spaces, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)/attenuation, pedestrian and cycle links, retaining structures and associated mitigation, infrastructure and earthworks/enabling works

Authority
Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area *
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
other · Major retail and services
Inspector
Dakeyne M

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect on Green Belt openness and purposes
  • the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including landscape and visual effects
  • the impact on the designated heritage assets at Mopes Farm, with particular reference to the effect on their setting
  • the effect on the BMV agricultural land
  • the effect on veteran trees, ancient woodland, and biodiversity more generally
  • the effect on aviation safety
  • whether the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to constitute very special circumstances

What decided it

The existence of a less harmful alternative site (CVMSA/Iver Heath) capable of meeting the same identified need moderated the weight given to the appeal proposal's benefits, so that they did not clearly outweigh the substantial Green Belt and other harm to constitute very special circumstances.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt plus significant landscape harm, moderate BMV harm and limited veteran tree/aviation harm was not clearly outweighed by the substantial need and other benefits of the scheme, particularly given a less harmful feasible alternative site existed; the balance tipped against the appeal.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy GC1Policy GB30Policy GC4Policy CS4Policy LB1Policy LB2Policy CS24Policy CS32Policy CS1Policy GB2Policy T2
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 149Paragraph 137Paragraph 142Paragraph 145Paragraph 174Paragraph 180Paragraph 106Paragraph 210Paragraph 211Paragraph 148Paragraph 11Paragraph 57
Judgments
Secretary of State for the Environment v Edwards - Court of Appeal (1995) 69 P.&C.R. 607

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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area

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

  1. Dismissed1 April 20263372329
    118 Chalfont Road, Seer Green, Beaconsfield, HP9 2QP
  2. Allowed26 March 20263375613
    71 Terryfield Road, High Wycombe, Buckingamshire, HP13 7RY
  3. Notice varied and upheld12 March 20263325136
    Fenton Civil Engineering Ltd, Rowan Tree Farm Blackwell Hall Lane, Ley Hill, Chesham, HP5 1UN
  4. Unknown2 March 20263362050
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  5. Notice upheld2 February 20263332205
    The Stables Frith Hill, South Heath, Great Missenden, HP16 9QF

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.