®Planning appeal decision
Westfield Stables, The Slade, Bucklebury, Reading, RG7 6TL
Planning appeal 3354624 at Westfield Stables, The Slade, Bucklebury, Reading, RG7 6TL (West Berkshire District Council) was dismissed on 12 May 2025 by Inspector Rawle S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether or not the appeal site is an appropriate location for the proposed development having regard to the spatial strategy and development plan policies relating to development within rural areas.
the conversion of redundant stable to form one dwelling, car parking, landscaping and associated works
- Authority
- West Berkshire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Rawle S
- Postcode
- RG7 6TL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether or not the appeal site is an appropriate location for the proposed development having regard to the spatial strategy and development plan policies relating to development within rural areas
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area including the North Wessex Downs National Landscape
What decided it
The proposal would unacceptably harm the character and appearance of the area and fail to conserve and enhance the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, and the building was not proven to be genuinely redundant, with the harm clearly outweighing the moderate benefits of housing delivery.
The moderate weight afforded to housing supply benefits and other matters was clearly outweighed by the great weight given to harm to character and appearance of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and the significant weight given to the site's unsuitability for residential development under the spatial strategy.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Area Delivery Plan Policy 1 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006-2026Policy C1 of the West Berkshire Council Housing Site Allocations DPD 2006-2026Policy C3 of the West Berkshire Council Housing Site Allocations DPD 2006-2026Policy C4 of the West Berkshire Council Housing Site Allocations DPD 2006-2026Policy CS14 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006-2026Policy CS19 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006-2026
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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.
With an account
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.