Planning appeal decision
Five Acre, Alverdiscott Road, Bideford, Devon, EX39 4PP
Planning appeal 3355008 at Five Acre, Alverdiscott Road, Bideford, Devon, EX39 4PP (Torridge District Council) was dismissed on 17 June 2025 by Inspector Butcher C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location, taking account of the Council's spatial strategy.
the demolition of barn to be replaced with 1. no dwelling and detached garage in lieu of planning approval 1/1166/2023/FUL (self-build)
- Authority
- Torridge District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Butcher C
- Postcode
- EX39 4PP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location, taking account of the Council's spatial strategy
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
- whether the arrangements for foul drainage would be satisfactory
- whether the proposals are satisfactory with regards to ecology and biodiversity
What decided it
The significant harm to character and appearance of the area, which would not be offset by the fallback position or any other material considerations, was decisive in dismissing the appeal.
The harm to character and appearance and drainage concerns outweighed the potential benefits of the scheme, which would predominantly relate to greater biodiversity on site; even applying the tilted balance test under NPPF paragraph 11d, the identified harm to character and appearance alone would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy ST07Policy ST01Policy ST04Policy DM04Policy DM08aPolicy ST14Policy DM02
- 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


More decisions in Torridge
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Dismissed12 August 20266009975Land Adjacent Allwyn, Staddon Road, Holsworthy, EX22 6NH
- Allowed6 July 20266006878Land At Pitt Bungalow, Pitt Lane, Appledore, EX39 1QB
- Dismissed18 May 20266004820Land At Grid Reference 243890 125702, High Park Close, Bideford, Devon, EX39 3HJ
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.
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