®Planning appeal decision
Land off Ewbank Corner, Church Street, Langford, Bedfordshire, SG18 9QT
residential development of up to 35 dwellinghouses (all matters reserved except access)
- Authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Thompson P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be consistent with policies relating to housing in rural areas, with regard to its location and effect on the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and the settlement of Langford
- whether the proposal would lead to a significant loss of Grades 2 and 3a agricultural land
What decided it
The significant and detrimental harm to the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and the settlement of Langford through the loss of openness and undeveloped qualities of the site in a sensitive riverside location outweighed the benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing provision, and community contributions.
The significant and moderate benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing provision (38% of 35 dwellings), community facility contributions, economic benefits, and biodiversity net gain (15.6%) were outweighed by the greater significance of the harm caused to the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and settlement of Langford through loss of openness and visual prominence in a sensitive riverside location.
Framework references: 174, 75
Plan policies cited: CBLP Policy SP1, CBLP Policy SP7, CBLP Policy DC5, CBLP Policy EE5, CBLP Policy H4, CBLP Policy HQ1, CBLP Policy HQ2, LNP Policy PD2, LNP Policy PD4
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.