®Planning appeal decision
Wyndley Garden Centre, Warwick Road, Knowle, SOLIHULL, B93 0DX
the demolition of the existing garden centre and associated buildings, and the erection of an extra care facility (Use Class C2) comprising: a village care centre; 39no. one and two bedroom care suites; 46no. one and two bedroom care apartments; and associated works, including car parking, access, landscaping and associated engineering works
- Authority
- Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- community-institutional · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Jones G
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including any effect it might have on openness, and whether there would be any other harm to the Green Belt
- Its effect on the character and appearance of the area
- The proposed developed site's accessibility in respect to sustainable modes of transport
- If the proposed development is found to be 'inappropriate', whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The very special circumstances were established because the substantial unmet need for older people's housing, combined with the absence of any adopted strategy or alternative sites to meet it, clearly outweighed the identified Green Belt and other harm.
the substantial weight attached to Green Belt harm (inappropriateness and loss of openness), together with limited harm to character and appearance and to the loss of a community facility, was clearly outweighed by the numerous and individually considerable benefits (unmet housing need, absence of an alternative strategy or sites, housing land supply shortfall, and economic/social benefits), such that very special circumstances existed
Framework references: 149
Plan policies cited: Policy P17, Policy P15, Policy P7, Policy P3, Policy VC1, Policy D1, Policy T3
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.