Land of Former Cope Hall, Skinners Green, Enborne, West Berkshire, RG14 6RE

proposed new self-build, net zero carbon dwelling, improvement of 2no. existing accesses and associated landscaping on site of former Cope Hall residence

Authority: West Berkshire District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Marigold O

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
whether the proposal accords with the Council's strategy for the distribution of development, having regard to access to services and facilities
the effect of the proposal on ecology, in particular with regard to bats and dormice

What decided it

The proposal would cause significant harm to character and appearance and conflict with the Council's strategy for distribution of development as an isolated dwelling in the countryside, which could not be justified by exceptional design quality or material considerations.

The adverse impacts of granting permission, comprising significant harm to character and appearance and conflict with the distribution strategy, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the cumulative benefits of the proposal when assessed against the policies in the Framework as a whole.

Framework references: 11, 80

Plan policies cited: CS14, CS19, C3, CS1, ADPP1, C1, CS17

Judgments cited: Braintree DC v SSCLG [2018] EWCA Civ. 610

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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