Land adjacent to Treetops. Shilton Lane, Shilton, COVENTRY, CV7 9LH

the change of use of land to a private gypsy and traveller caravan site

Authority: Rugby Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
Inspector: Chamberlain G

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt and its effect on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
Whether intentional unauthorised development has occurred and, if so, the weight to be given to this matter
Whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations to establish the very special circumstances necessary to justify the proposal

What decided it

The cumulative weight of the acute unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches together with the appellant's personal circumstances clearly outweighed the Green Belt harm and the harm from intentional unauthorised development.

The harm from inappropriate development, the moderate harm to openness and Green Belt purposes, the harm from unsustainable location, and the significant harm from intentional unauthorised development were clearly outweighed by the other considerations (acute unmet pitch need, personal circumstances, health, long-standing local connection and best interests of children), establishing very special circumstances.

Framework references: 154, 155, 110, 115, 143, 187, 193, 164

Plan policies cited: Policy GP2, Policy DS2, Policy SDC1, Policy GP1

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

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