®Planning appeal decision
Land off High Street, Sutton Benger, Chippenham, North Wiltshire, SN15 4SP
Planning appeal 3349828 at Land off High Street, Sutton Benger, Chippenham, North Wiltshire, SN15 4SP (Wiltshire Council) was allowed on 27 January 2025 by Inspector Nicholls H, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the location of the development would be in a suitable location having regard to the policies of the development plan and its accessibility to services.
outline planning application for the erection of up to 60 dwellings, including affordable housing with public open space, structural planting and landscaping, land for the provision of allotments and sustainable drainage system (SuDS) with vehicular access point. All matters reserved except for means of access
- Authority
- Wiltshire Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Nicholls H
- Postcode
- SN15 4SP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the location of the development would be in a suitable location having regard to the policies of the development plan and its accessibility to services
- the effects of the proposal on the landscape character and visual amenities of the area
- the effects of the proposal on the significance of the designated heritage assets, the Sutton Benger Conservation Area (CA) and grade II listed building, nos 74 and 76 High Street
What decided it
The severe housing land supply shortfall (2.03 years) engaged the tilted balance, and the significant benefits of housing delivery and affordable housing outweighed the identified landscape and heritage harms.
The benefits of delivering up to 60 dwellings including 40% affordable housing, open space, allotments and biodiversity/economic benefits outweighed the harm to landscape character and visual amenities, the less than substantial heritage harm, and the locational/accessibility conflicts, such that adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under the tilted balance.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 1Policy 2Policy 10Policy H4Policy 51Policy 57Core Policy 58Policy 60Policy 61Core Policy 68Core Policy 41Policy SB3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 187Paragraph 215
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
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What an account adds to this decision
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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.