Woodcliffe, Bury Road, Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 6JS

described on the application form as ‘change of use, conversion and extension of outbuilding to 1 dwelling

Authority: Rossendale Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Martinson P

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
whether or not the appeal site is a suitable location for the development proposed
if the proposal is inappropriate development whether very special circumstances nevertheless exist to justify allowing the appeal

What decided it

The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would harm openness and character and appearance, and very special circumstances do not exist to justify it, particularly given that Green Belt protection provides a clear reason for refusal under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework notwithstanding the housing delivery shortfall.

The substantial weight given to Green Belt harm combined with harm to character and appearance was not outweighed by the limited economic benefits of the proposed single dwelling conversion.

Framework references: 150, 130, 11

Plan policies cited: Policy HS12

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.