®Planning appeal decision
Land at Croft Road, Spencers Wood, WD3 4EH
erection of emergency siren and 2 self build plots
- Authority
- Wokingham Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Jones H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The suitability of the site for the development having regard to the development plan's spatial strategy, and the effects of the development upon the character and appearance of the area including trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order
- The effects of the development upon an emergency response relating to the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site at Burghfield
- Whether or not affordable housing should be provided, and, if so, whether appropriate arrangements have been made
What decided it
The harmful erosion of semi-rural character and appearance through introduction of development outside the settlement limit, combined with unresolved concerns about emergency response capacity within the Atomic Weapons Establishment Detailed Emergency Planning Zone, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest housing supply benefits.
The modest housing supply benefits and self-build provision (limited by lack of UU security) were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the harmful erosion of semi-rural character, conflict with spatial strategy, and unresolved emergency response capacity concerns, resulting in dismissal of the appeal
Framework references: 11, 64, 97, 130, 174
Plan policies cited: Policy CP1, Policy CP3, Policy CP5, Policy CP9, Policy CP11, Policy CP19, Policy CC01, Policy CC02, Policy CC03, Policy TB04, Policy TB21, Policy 1, Policy 2
Judgments cited: Wheatcroft (Bernard) Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment and Harborough DC (1982); Crest Nicholson & Ors v West Berkshire District Council [2021] EWHC 289 (Admin)
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.