Moneystone Quarry, Eaves Lane, Oakamoor, Staffordshire, ST10 2DZ

reserved matters application for details of the appearance, scale, layout and landscaping for phase 1 of the leisure development comprising 190 lodges; erection of a new central hub building (providing farm shop, gym, swimming pool, spa, restaurant, cafe, games room, visitor centre, hub management and plant areas): reuse and external alterations to the existing office building to provide housekeeping and maintenance accommodation (including meeting rooms, offices, storage, staff areas and workshop); children's play areas; multi use games area; quarry park; car parking; refuse and lighting arrangements; and managed footpaths, cycleways and bridleways set in attractive hard and soft landscaping

Authority: Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
Appeal type: other · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: leisure-sport · Unknown
Inspector: Longmuir J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The main issue is whether the proposed details in terms of appearance, scale, layout and landscaping would harm the character and appearance of the area.

What decided it

The Inspector found that the detailed design of the lodges, hub building and landscaping would not harm the character and appearance of the area and that the proposal therefore accorded with the development plan as a whole.

the substantial economic, tourism, health and environmental benefits of the scheme, together with accordance with the development plan as a whole, outweighed the less than substantial harm identified to the setting of nearby listed buildings

Framework references: 2, 56, 57

Plan policies cited: Policy SS1, Policy SS11, Policy DC1, Policy E4

Judgments cited: Friends of the Earth v SOSLUHC [2024] EWHC 2349 (Admin); (Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) v Surrey County Council [2024] UKSC 20; [2024] PTSR 988; R. (on the application of Swire) v Canterbury City Council [2022] EWHC 390 (Admin)

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.