®Planning appeal decision
Plot 5 Land at Westbury Park, Coombe Lane, West Meon, Hampshire, GU32 1NB
Planning appeal 3339743 at Plot 5 Land at Westbury Park, Coombe Lane, West Meon, Hampshire, GU32 1NB (South Downs) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 26 February 2025 by Inspector Cahalane R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether there is an essential need for the proposed development outside of a settlement boundary, including consideration of the need for overnight stays on the site.
Erection of storage building to provide secure facilities for storing tools/equipment and enclosure of an existing compost unit (allowed); permission for overnight stays on site throughout the year (dismissed)
- Authority
- South Downs
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- agricultural · Minor general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Cahalane R
- Postcode
- GU32 1NB
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether there is an essential need for the proposed development outside of a settlement boundary, including consideration of the need for overnight stays on the site
- whether the proposal would conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the South Downs National Park (SDNP), including consideration of effects upon tranquillity
- the effect on the South Downs International Sky Reserve
- the effect on ecology and biodiversity
- the effect on existing trees
What decided it
The failure to demonstrate an essential need for overnight stays in a countryside location, combined with significant harm to tranquillity, dark skies and unresolved ecological concerns, outweighed the moderate benefits of the agricultural enterprise.
The scheme's benefits (economic, social and environmental benefits of small-scale agroforestry and farm diversification, attracting moderate weight) did not outweigh the significant harms identified (no essential need for overnight stays, failure to conserve and enhance relative tranquillity, failure to demonstrate acceptable effect on ecology and biodiversity), particularly given that conservation and enhancement of the National Park's natural beauty must be given greater weight.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SD25Policy SD39Policy SD4Policy SD5Policy SD7Policy SD8Policy SD2Policy SD9Policy SD11
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 88
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in South Downs
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Dismissed23 June 20266001025Roman Mile Farm, Bignor Park Road, Bignor, West Sussex, RH20 1HQ
- Dismissed28 May 20266004671Reeves Britannia, 140 The Causeway, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU31 4LL
- Dismissed27 May 20266006395Weyridge, The Street, Binsted, Hampshire, GU34 4PF
- Dismissed11 May 2026600074417 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2LN
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.