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Dismissed14 November 20233313740

Land at Wookey Hole Road, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2NG

Planning appeal 3313740 at Land at Wookey Hole Road, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2NG (Mendip District Council *) was dismissed on 14 November 2023 by Inspector Evans J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the area, including having regard to the effect upon the setting of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and upon existing trees.

outline planning application for residential development including means of access with all other matters reserved

Authority
Mendip District Council *
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Evans J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the area, including having regard to the effect upon the setting of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and upon existing trees
  • the impact of the proposal upon protected species in the area and upon the integrity of the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar site and upon the Mendip Bats Special Area of Conservation
  • whether the proposal would make adequate provision for surface water management

What decided it

The substantial cumulative environmental harm arising from the proposal's impact on landscape character, the AONB setting, protected species habitats, and unresolved drainage uncertainties significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of housing supply and affordable housing delivery.

The significant social benefits of housing delivery (including 40% affordable homes) and contributions to education and health services were substantially outweighed by the cumulative environmental harms to landscape character, the AONB setting, protected species habitats, and drainage uncertainties, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy DP1Policy DP4Policy DP5Policy DP6Policy DP7Policy DP8Policy DP23
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Mendip District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

  1. Dismissed3 July 20243314693
    Former Greencore Factory, Prestleigh Road, Evercreech, BA4 6JZ
  2. Split Decision21 February 20243312171
    Church Farm, Frome Road, Rode, BA11 6PW
  3. Dismissed20 October 20233318670
    The Willows, Glastonbury Road, Meare, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 9SN
  4. Allowed9 October 20233313309
    Land Adjacent to Whitemill, Marston Lane, Frome
  5. Allowed19 July 20233314058
    The Crown Inn, Clapton Road, , Clapton, Wells, BA3 4EB

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.