Planning appeal decision
Meadowside, Eworthy, Germansweek, EX21 5AH
Planning appeal 3313496 at Meadowside, Eworthy, Germansweek, EX21 5AH (West Devon Borough Council) was allowed on 7 June 2024 by Inspector Jarratt P, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Appeal A ground (a): whether the location of the development accords with policies in the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan which seek to restrict tourism development in the countryside to minimise the need to travel unless an identifiable need has been adequately demonstrated.
the material change of use of the land from agriculture/woodland use to a mixed use comprising agriculture/woodland and use for tourism/leisure, including the use of a tree house for letting purposes and the use of a summer house in association with tourism/leisure use
- Authority
- West Devon Borough Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- leisure-sport · Change of use
- Inspector
- Jarratt P
- Postcode
- EX21 5AH
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Appeal A ground (a): whether the location of the development accords with policies in the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan which seek to restrict tourism development in the countryside to minimise the need to travel unless an identifiable need has been adequately demonstrated
- Appeal B: whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant a lawful development certificate was well founded
What decided it
The operational immunity of the tree house and summer house buildings under s171B(1), combined with the characterisation of the development as low-impact tourism, outweighed the policy objections to tourism development in an unsustainable countryside location.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- SPT1DEV15
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


More decisions in West Devon
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
- Notice varied and upheld17 September 20263355120Greenslade, Greenslade Lane, Sampford Courtenay, EX20 2SF
- Notice varied and upheld4 August 20263377919Land South of Dartmoor Caravan Park, Crapstone, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 7PP
- Notice varied and upheld16 July 20263377842Land at SX369802, Known As Rose Cottage, The Tollhouse, Greystone Bridge, Launceston, Devon, PL15 9PD
- Notice varied and upheld29 April 20263374695Land at Higher Liftondown Heights SX365854, Liftondown, Launceston, PL16 0DB
- Notice varied and upheld29 April 20263374608Land at SX367853, West of Midway, Liftondown, Devon, PL16 0DB
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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