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Planning appeal decision

Dismissed13 March 20253345789

Hill Farm, Melchbourne Road, Riseley, MK44 1BY

Planning appeal 3345789 at Hill Farm, Melchbourne Road, Riseley, MK44 1BY (Bedford Borough Council) was dismissed on 13 March 2025 by Inspector Shearing C, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether there is an essential need for an agricultural worker's dwelling at the site as such to justify the provision of an isolated home in the countryside.

an agricultural workers dwelling

Authority
Bedford Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Hearing
Development
agricultural · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Shearing C
Postcode
MK44 1BY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether there is an essential need for an agricultural worker's dwelling at the site as such to justify the provision of an isolated home in the countryside
  • The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
  • Effects on highway safety
  • Ecological effects
  • Whether the proposal would provide acceptable methods of foul disposal and arrangements for waste and recycling collection

What decided it

The absence of a demonstrated essential need for a rural worker's dwelling meant the harm of an isolated home in the countryside significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of the scheme.

The substantial and long-lasting harm from siting an isolated home in the countryside significantly and demonstrably outweighed the moderate benefits of the new dwelling and limited benefit of community/education access, so the proposal fell outside the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy 7SPolicy 68Policy 28SPolicy 29Policy 30Policy 31Policy 42SPolicy 43Policy 32
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 84Paragraph 110Paragraph 11

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 applied

The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.