®Planning appeal decision
Site at Minchens Lane, Bramley, Hampshire, RG7 2LN
Planning appeal 3304561 at Site at Minchens Lane, Bramley, Hampshire, RG7 2LN (Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council) was allowed on 13 February 2023 by Inspector McCoy R, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
the installation of renewable led energy generating station, comprising ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays and battery-based electricity storage containers together with substation, inverter/transformer stations, site accesses, internal access tracks, security measures, access gates, other ancillary infrastructure, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements including a proposed Forest School, associated car parking and Nature Area
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- McCoy R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
- the effect of the development proposed on the significance of nearby heritage assets, including below ground archaeology, the Scheduled Late Iron Age oppidum and Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum and associated features, the Grade II Listed Minchens Farmhouse and Buildings at Lower Farm and Old Meadows, and the Silchester Conservation Area
What decided it
The very significant renewable energy, climate change and biodiversity benefits of the scheme clearly and decisively outweighed the localised landscape/visual harm and the less than substantial heritage harm.
The substantial weight given to renewable energy generation, together with significant weight for secure energy supply, biodiversity net gain and economic benefits, decisively outweighed the moderate/slight harm to landscape character and visual amenity and the less than substantial harm to heritage assets.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy EM1Policy D1Policy EM8Policy EM11Policy EM7Policy RE1Policy EM10Policy CN9Policy EN8Policy T2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 174Paragraph 199Paragraph 202Paragraph 56
- Judgments
- Bernard Wheatcroft Ltd v SSE [1982] HC
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.