Planning appeal decision
Plot 1, Mercer Court, Land Adjoining The Byre, 4 Mercer Court, Great Altcar, L31 4LF
Planning appeal 3321720 at Plot 1, Mercer Court, Land Adjoining The Byre, 4 Mercer Court, Great Altcar, L31 4LF (West Lancashire District Council) was dismissed on 7 June 2024 by Inspector Thompson F, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and development plan policy.
without planning permission, the construction of an area of hardstanding and erection of two stable block buildings
- Authority
- West Lancashire District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- agricultural · Householder developments
- Inspector
- Thompson F
- Postcode
- L31 4LF
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and development plan policy
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- If the development is inappropriate, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The development constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt that fails to preserve openness and harms character and appearance, with no other considerations that clearly outweigh this harm to amount to very special circumstances.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GN1Policy GN3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 152Paragraph 153Paragraph 154
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


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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.
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