Chestnuts Farm, Eastcote Lane, Hampton-In-Arden, Solihull, B92 0AS

Planning appeal 3311154 at Chestnuts Farm, Eastcote Lane, Hampton-In-Arden, Solihull, B92 0AS (Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council) was dismissed on 4 August 2025 by Inspector Curnow R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies.

Continued use of existing agricultural building for offices and workshops for Dovetail Group with associated vehicle parking and storage in 4 containers and screen fencing; Continued use of existing yard and building for waste recycling and ancillary skip hire – C & R Lewis - part of Dovetail Group. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Authority: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector: Curnow R
Postcode: B92 0AS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies
The effect of the proposal on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
Whether this is a suitable location for a waste recycling facility in the light of development plan policies
Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The substantial weight attached to harm to Green Belt openness and the significant harm to character and appearance of the rural landscape outweighed the moderate economic and social benefits of the proposed developments.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt (inappropriateness and loss of openness) and significant harm to character and appearance were not outweighed by the moderate economic and social benefits of farm diversification and business operations, except in the case of the access track and bunds where very limited harm to openness and positive landscape mitigation justified permission.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy P3Policy P12Policy P15Policy P17
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 88Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 143Paragraph 150Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155

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.

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The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

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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.