Land at Cocknage Farm Barns, Woodpark Lane, Cocknage, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 4AE

Planning appeal 3356392 at Land at Cocknage Farm Barns, Woodpark Lane, Cocknage, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 4AE (Stafford Borough Council) was dismissed on 5 March 2025 by Inspector Edwards J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the scheme represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

change of use of land (agricultural) for use as residential garden (retrospective) and associated fencing

Authority: Stafford Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Edwards J
Postcode: ST3 4AE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the scheme represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt
its effect on the character and appearance of the area
whether it supports rural sustainability
if the scheme constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other factors so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it

What decided it

The change of use of agricultural land to residential garden represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt that fails to preserve openness and conflicts with Green Belt purposes, and the supporting factors do not clearly outweigh this harm to constitute very special circumstances.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Spatial Principle 7Spatial Principle 6Policy N1Policy N8Policy D1
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155

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.

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The decision letter

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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.