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Planning appeal decision

Notice varied and upheld12 February 20253350386

Lake House, West Woodhay, Newbury, RG20 0BU

Planning appeal 3350386 at Lake House, West Woodhay, Newbury, RG20 0BU (West Berkshire District Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 12 February 2025 by Inspector Satheesan R, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area, having particular regard to its location within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (formerly the AONB).

without planning permission, the creation of a hard-surfaced track to the east and south of the dwelling known as Lake House in the approximate position marked in red between points A and E on the attached plan

Authority
West Berkshire District Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Hearing
Development
other · Householder developments
Inspector
Satheesan R
Postcode
RG20 0BU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area, having particular regard to its location within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (formerly the AONB)
  • the effect of the development on highway safety

What decided it

The unmitigated harm to the character and appearance of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, compounded by unresolved highway safety concerns arising from potential increased traffic on a narrow rural lane, led to the appeal on ground (a) failing.

The harms to the character and appearance of the National Landscape and to highway safety were not outweighed by any other material considerations, so the development conflicted with the development plan as a whole and permission was refused.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy ADPP1Policy ADPP5Policy CS14Policy CS19Policy CS 13Policy C1

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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More decisions in West Berkshire

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

  1. Notice varied and upheld22 August 20253363100
    Land Adjoining ‘Sandhill’, Hampstead Norreys Road, Hermitage, RG18 9XU
  2. Allowed10 July 20253356688
    Land South of Sandhill, Hermitage, Thatcham, RG18 9XU
  3. Notice varied and upheld5 March 20253351139
    Land South of Brimpton Lane and West of Blacknest Lane, Brimpton Common, Reading, RG7 4RS
  4. Dismissed15 August 20243325974
    Shoreline (Formerly Hire Co Ltd), Colthrop Lane, Thatcham, RG19 4NT
  5. Notice varied and upheld31 January 20243306769
    10 Alexander Road, Thatcham, Reading, RG19 4QU

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.