Land at, (OS 7894 5264), Suckley Road, Leigh, WR6 5LC

two self-build dwellings

Authority: Malvern Hills District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Thandi B

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposed development would be consistent with local and national policies relating to the location of new development
The effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area
Whether an affordable housing contribution is required to make the proposal acceptable in planning terms

What decided it

The absence of relevant development plan policies on self-build housing triggered the tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11d, and the benefits of housing delivery and affordable housing contribution significantly and demonstrably outweighed the conflict with policies restricting countryside development.

The conflict with the development plan was given moderate weight, but the significant benefits of self-build housing delivery, affordable housing contribution, and the site's sustainability in terms of accessibility to services and rural vitality outweighed the adverse impacts when assessed against the Framework as a whole, applying the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Framework references: 11, 14, 64, 79, 174

Plan policies cited: SWDP Policy 2, SWDP Policy 13, SWDP Policy 15, SWDP Policy 21, SWDP Policy 25, NP Policy LB/H/2

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.

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