Land at Cross-in-Hand Farm, Lutterworth Road , Rugby , CV23 0QW

for the redevelopment of the site to a HGV facility, including the demolition of agricultural outbuilding and formation of HGV parking spaces, fuel station, vehicle inspection station, vehicle maintenance unit, petrol filling station, electric charging points, convenience store, coffee shop, creche, overnight accommodation, ancillary car parking and associated works (Outline – Principle and Access Only)

Authority: Rugby Borough Council
Appeal type: other · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: employment-industrial · Unknown
Inspector: Longmuir J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, particularly with regard to its extent of development, height, loss of hedgerows and mitigating landscaping
The need for the proposed facilities both for HGVs and as a whole as well as the planning benefits

What decided it

The substantial and unmitigated harm to the character and appearance of the landscape outweighed the limited and unproven need for the scale of facilities proposed.

The need for some lorry parking and the associated economic, social and obligation benefits did not outweigh the harm to the character and appearance of the area, so the balance tipped against the proposal.

Framework references: 11, 57, 109, 130, 174, 185

Plan policies cited: Policy NE3, Policy SDC1, Policy GP2, Policy D4

Judgments cited: Wavendon Properties Limited v Secretary of State of Housing Communities and Local Government, Milton Keynes Council [2019] EWHC 1524 (Admin); Paul Newman New Homes Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2021] EWCA Civ 15

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.