®Planning appeal decision
LAND EAST OF THE SPINNEY, PAGHAM ROAD, RUNCTON, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 1LD
change of use of land to a traveller’s caravan site for 5No. pitches
- Authority
- Chichester District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Szymanski D
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area including the gap between settlements
- protected species and the qualifying features of the Singleton and Cocking Tunnel Special Area of Conservation (the SCTSAC) as a habitats site
- the Chichester and Langstone Harbour Special Protection Area (the CLHSPA) and the Pagham Harbour Special Protection Area (the PHSPA) as habitats sites
What decided it
The very significant shortfall in gypsy and traveller pitch provision in the district (around 71 pitches), the absence of any five-year supply, the lack of alternative sites for the appellant and other travellers, and the equality implications of providing a settled base to persons unable to travel, outweighed the moderate harm to character and appearance when the tilted balance was applied.
The moderate harm to character and appearance and the settlement gap was outweighed by the very significant benefits of delivering 5 pitches to address an acute and persistent shortfall in gypsy and traveller accommodation, the absence of alternative sites, and the equality implications, applying the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework.
Framework references: 11, 26, 27, 28, 135, 139, 193
Plan policies cited: Policy 36, Policy 40, Policy 47, Policy 48, Policy 49, Policy 50, Policy 51, Policy NE2, Policy NE3, Policy NE5, Policy NE7, Policy NE8, Policy NE10, Policy H13, Policy H14, Policy P1, Policy P2, Policy P5
Judgments cited: Holborn Studios Ltd v The Council of the London Borough of Hackney (2018)
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.