®Planning appeal decision
Dismissed3 July 20233293738
Land at Junction of Hollybush Lane and Shortheath Lane, Burghfield Common
a new Church Hall (Use Class F.1f) and burial ground, with associated access, parking, and landscaping
- Authority
- West Berkshire District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- community-institutional · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Plenty B
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site would, in spatial terms, be a suitable location for a community building taking into consideration its greenfield location, the surrounding green infrastructure and the site's accessibility
- Whether the proposed use would meet an identified need for such a facility in the area and/or benefit the rural economy
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including with regard to its landscape setting
- The effect of the proposal on highway safety, with respect to parking provision and associated manoeuvring
What decided it
The proposal's location in poorly accessible open countryside without demonstrated local need, combined with substantial harm to character and appearance, could not be outweighed by the benefits of providing a place of worship.
Framework references: 85, 93, 174
Plan policies cited: ADPP1, CS10, CS13, CS14, CS18, CS19, ADPP6
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.