®Planning appeal decision
Court Lane Industrial Estate, Court Lane, Iver, Buckinghamshire, SL0 9HL
outline planning application with all matters reserved for the demolition of the Court Lane Industrial Estate and the redevelopment of the site to comprise a data centre (Use Class B8 (Data Centre)) of up to 65,000sqm (GEA) (excluding generator yard). The data centre buildings will include ancillary offices, internal technical spaces and technical equipment. The development may also include car and cycle parking; external plant and equipment; hard and soft landscaping; security perimeter fencing; lighting; earthworks; waste and recycling; and for the laying out of the building, routes and open spaces”. Summary of Recommendation: That planning permission for the development be granted subject to conditions
- Authority
- Buckinghamshire Council - South Bucks Area *
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- employment-industrial · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Hatfield T
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt, and on the purposes of including land within it
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
- The effect of the development on the setting of the Grade II listed Iver Court Farmhouse
- 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 very special circumstances (data centre need, HGV reduction, heritage and economic benefits) clearly outweighed the Green Belt and heritage harm, justifying approval despite development plan conflict.
The public benefits (need for data centres, HGV reduction, heritage benefits, reuse of previously developed land, investment/job creation, ecological and other benefits) outweighed the harm to the Green Belt, landscape/visual harm, and less than substantial harm to the listed building, such that very special circumstances existed and the appeal was allowed.
Framework references: 48, 56, 57, 66, 135, 142, 143, 152, 153, 154, 205, 208
Plan policies cited: Policy CP16, Policy GB1, Policy EP3, Policy CP9, Policy CP8, Policy CP13, Policy IV7, Policy IV13, Policy GB4, Policy EP4, Policy EP6, Policy EP17, Policy TR5, Policy TR7, Policy CP6, Policy CP7, Policy CP10, Policy CP12, Policy 1 (Buckinghamshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan), Policy IV6, Policy IV8, Policy IV9, Policy IV14
Judgments cited: Summers Poultry Products Ltd v SSCLG & Stratford-upon-Avon [2009] EWHC 533 (Admin)
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.