Planning appeal decision
Land opposite - 130-144 Wargrave Road, Wargrave Road, Twyford, RG10 9PN
siting of a mobile home on equestrian land to provide residential accommodation for a romany gypsy/traveller family and conversion of a stables to provide a day room
- Authority
- Wokingham Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Wilders B
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the PPTS, the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and on the purposes of including land in the Green Belt
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- 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 temporary nature of the permission meant the identified Green Belt and character/appearance harm was only for a limited period, which, combined with the unmet pitch need and the best interests of the appellant's children, was found to clearly outweigh that harm and establish very special circumstances.
The harm to the Green Belt (by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and conflict with Green Belt purposes) together with harm to character and appearance did not clearly outweigh other considerations for a permanent permission, but for a temporary five-year permission those harms were clearly outweighed by the unmet need for pitches, the appellant's personal circumstances and Article 8 considerations, amounting to very special circumstances.
Framework references: 137, 139, 147, 148
Plan policies cited: Policy CP12, Policy TB01, Policy CP1, Policy CP2, Policy CP11, Policy TB10, Policy TB21, Policy CC03, Policy TB03
Judgments cited: Smith v SSLUHC & Ors [2022] EWCA Civ 1391
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.
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