®Planning appeal decision
Heartlands Farm, Northwood, ELLESMERE, Shropshire, SY12 0NQ
change of use of land to a mixed use for the keeping of horses (existing) and use as a residential caravan site for an extended Gypsy family, with a total of 4 No. caravans, including the laying of hardstanding and erection of 4 No. amenity buildings
- Authority
- Shropshire County Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Change of use
- Inspector
- Nicholls H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be at risk from flooding and whether it would be served by an adequate means of non-mains foul water drainage
- the need and supply considerations relating to Traveller pitches
- the accommodation needs and other personal circumstances of the proposed occupiers
What decided it
The unresolved flood risk to the site's access and the failure to satisfy the exception test outweighed the benefits of the proposal, including the shortfall in Traveller pitch supply.
The significant benefit of providing four Traveller pitches in the absence of alternative sites, together with the personal circumstances of the family, did not outweigh the harm arising from unresolved flood risk, which the Framework identifies as a strong reason for refusal, so the tilted balance did not justify departing from the development plan.
Framework references: 11, 175, 176
Plan policies cited: Policy CS18, Policy MD2, CS Policy CS12
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.