®Planning appeal decision
Land Opposite Wild Meadow, Bowden Lane, Welham, LE16 7UX
Planning appeal 3339923 at Land Opposite Wild Meadow, Bowden Lane, Welham, LE16 7UX (Harborough District Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 3 July 2025 by Inspector Harbottle M, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the use of the land as residential caravan sites gives rise to an unacceptable risk of flooding.
Without planning permission, the material change of use of the land from equestrian uses to a mixed use as equestrian and the stationing of caravans for residential purposes for a Gypsy/Traveller pitch (Sui Generis), together with the formation of additional hard standing
- Authority
- Harborough District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Change of use
- Inspector
- Harbottle M
- Postcode
- LE16 7UX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the use of the land as residential caravan sites gives rise to an unacceptable risk of flooding
- Whether the site is suitable for the proposed development having regard to access to the nearest settlement and to a range of services
- The need for, supply and availability of Gypsy and Traveller sites in the district and whether there has been a failure of policy in respect of provision for such development
- The personal circumstances of the appellant and his family
What decided it
The unacceptable risk of flooding and the failure to demonstrate safe access and escape routes for vulnerable occupants, particularly children, in a flood event.
The substantial adverse weight of unacceptable flood risk and danger to vulnerable occupants significantly and demonstrably outweighed the significant weight of the lack of 5-year supply of Gypsy and Traveller sites and the personal circumstances of the appellants' families.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy H6Policy CC3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 28Paragraph 110Paragraph 170Paragraph 173Paragraph 174Paragraph 177Paragraph 181
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
More decisions in Harborough
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Allowed1 July 20263355160Midsummer Cottage, Hallaton Road, Horninghold, Leicestershire, LE16 8DH
- Notice varied and upheld11 June 20263349368Land Adjacent Elmdede, Main Street , Cotesbach, Lutterworth, LE17 4HZ
- Quashed On Legal Grounds17 September 20253321546Trotters & Gills Lake, Willoughby Road, Ashby Magna, Leicetsershire, LE17 5NP
- Notice varied and upheld22 July 20253322468Blackberry Way Main Street, Leire, Lutterworth, LE17 5HF
- Notice upheld1 May 202533398179 Lubenham Hill, Market Harborough, LE16 9DG
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.