Town Planner Pro
Free trial
Search appeal decisions

Planning appeal decision

Notice varied and upheld11 April 20253353633

Caravan Site , Festival Road, Billingford, Norfolk, NR20 4RB

Planning appeal 3353633 at Caravan Site , Festival Road, Billingford, Norfolk, NR20 4RB (Breckland Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 11 April 2025 by Inspector Harbottle M, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the location for the development is acceptable in principle, having regard to the effect of the development on character and appearance.

Change of use of land for the standing of two residential static caravans and two touring caravans to meet the accommodation needs of a local Gypsy/Traveller family to include ancillary works

Authority
Breckland Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Hearing
Development
caravan-gypsy · Major traveller and caravan pitches
Inspector
Harbottle M
Postcode
NR20 4RB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the location for the development is acceptable in principle, having regard to the effect of the development on character and appearance.
  • The need for and supply of Gypsy and Traveller pitches in Breckland.
  • The effect of the development on assets and areas of particular importance, including the River Wensum and Habitats Sites.
  • The effect of the development on living conditions.
  • The personal circumstances of the appellants and their dependants.

What decided it

The unresolved risk of harm to the ecology of Habitats Sites (nutrient pollution and recreational impact), providing a strong reason for refusal under paragraph 193a) and 11(d)(i) of the Framework, decided the appeal.

The significant weight given to the lack of pitch supply and the appellant's personal circumstances/risk of homelessness did not outweigh the substantial weight attached to the unresolved harm to Habitats Sites, so the balance tipped against granting permission.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy HOU 05Policy HOU 08Policy ENV 02Policy GEN 02
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 193

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

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.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

5 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision
An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter
Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.
Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app
Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.
Start your free trial

More decisions in Breckland Council

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

  1. Allowed16 October 20266007250
    Land To The West Of Daffodil Drive, Norwich Road, Besthorpe, Norwich, NR17 2LA
  2. Allowed20 May 20263351737
    Coughtrey Industrial Estates (Units 1 - 17), Church Road, Griston, Norfolk, IP25 6QB
  3. Dismissed21 April 20266004431
    Wyvern Farm, Mattishall Road, Garvestone, Norfolk, NR9 4QP
  4. Planning permission granted24 February 20263374562
    Ambleside Farm, Whissonsett Road, Oxwick, Norfolk, NR21 7HZ
  5. Dismissed19 December 20253372057
    Land off Silver Street, Besthorpe, Norfolk, NR17 2LE

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.