Planning appeal decision
52A Church Road, St. Thomas, Exeter, EX2 9BQ
Planning appeal 3311068 at 52A Church Road, St. Thomas, Exeter, EX2 9BQ (Exeter City Council) was dismissed on 17 August 2023 by Inspector Butcher C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would be safe from flooding.
Change of use of a redundant commercial tea room to a residential dwelling, including reconfiguration into a low energy 3 bedroom dwelling with external courtyard amenity space, bicycle store, bin store and access from Church Road
- Authority
- Exeter City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Butcher C
- Postcode
- EX2 9BQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed development would be safe from flooding
- the effect of the proposed development on the character or appearance of the Cowick Street Conservation Area
- the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of future occupiers, with particular regard to private outdoor space
What decided it
The absence of an adequate site-specific flood risk assessment demonstrating that the proposed residential use would be safe from flooding in Flood Zone 3, contrary to national policy and the development plan.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy EN4 of the Exeter Local Plan First Review, 1995 – 2011Policy CP12 of the Core Strategy, adopted February 2012CS Objective 9Policy CP17LP Policies DG1 and H2LP Policy DG4(b)CS Objective 3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 168
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
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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.
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