®Planning appeal decision
Land adjacent to Holm Lea, Bridle Road, Woodford, SK7 1QN
Erection of two detached dwellings with associated access and landscaping
- Authority
- Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Martinson P
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 any relevant development plan policies
- the effect upon the openness of the Green Belt
- whether the 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 proposal fails to meet the limited infilling exception in NPPF paragraph 149(e) because it would extend development beyond the clearly defined ribbon development pattern around the bend, representing encroachment into countryside and urban sprawl, and the substantial Green Belt harm is not clearly outweighed by the limited housing supply benefits.
The substantial weight given to Green Belt harm combined with other identified harm was not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of two dwellings towards housing supply and minor economic benefits, therefore very special circumstances do not exist.
Framework references: 11, 137, 138, 149
Plan policies cited: Saved Policy GBA1.5 of the Stockport Unitary Development Plan Review (2006), Policy DEV1 of Woodford Neighbourhood Plan (2019)
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.