®Planning appeal decision
Land West of Moyse's Bank, School Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
the use of land for the stationing of caravans for residential purposes, together with the formation of hardstanding and utility/day room ancillary to that use and the use of land for the keeping of horses and the erection of a stable
- Authority
- King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Child K
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Proposed Gypsy and Traveller use and which planning policies should apply.
- Whether the site is in an acceptable location for the proposed development in terms of flood risk.
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
- Whether there are any other considerations indicating that planning permission should be granted. This includes the need for and supply of Gypsy and Traveller sites, policy failure, animal welfare and reduction of traffic movements, and potentially the personal circumstances of the intended occupants.
What decided it
The combination of an acceptable, mitigable flood risk position, no harm to character and appearance, and the significant unmet need for and absence of a five-year supply of Gypsy and Traveller pitches led the Inspector to allow the appeal on its planning merits.
The benefits of providing an additional Gypsy and Traveller pitch to meet significant unmet need and the absence of a five-year supply, together with the site's acceptability on flood risk and character grounds, outweighed the residual flood risk, so the appeal was allowed.
Framework references: 159, 11
Plan policies cited: Policy CS06, Policy CS09, Policy CS02, Policy CS01, Policy CS08, Policy CS12, Policy DM15
Judgments cited: Lisa Smith v SSLUHC [2022] EWCA; Wenman v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2015] EWHC 925 (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.