®Planning appeal decision
172 Locking Road , Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 3LU
proposed demolition of existing outbuilding and erection of 1no. dwelling
- Authority
- North Somerset Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Reeves K
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposed development having regard to the risk of flooding
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of occupiers of neighbouring properties with regard to privacy
What decided it
The proposal fails the exception test for development in Flood Zone 3 because the wider sustainability benefits do not outweigh the flood risks, particularly the reliance on long-term maintenance and upgrading of flood defences without sufficient evidence of commitment.
The flood risk, which is not outweighed by the wider sustainability benefits, means that the climate change, flooding and coastal change policies in the Framework provide a strong reason for refusing the development, notwithstanding the Council's inability to demonstrate five-year housing land supply.
Framework references: 11, 178
Plan policies cited: Policy CS3 of the North Somerset Core Strategy (2017), Policy DM1 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1 (2016), Policy CS12 of the North Somerset Core Strategy (2017), Policies DM32 and DM37 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1 (2016)
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.