Land south of Hencliffe Way & west of Castle Farm Rd, Hanham, Bristol, BS15 3TB

‘outline planning application for the demolition of 1 dwelling and the erection of up to 140 dwellings, provision of public open space, landscaping and planting, drainage and ancillary works, with all matters reserved except for means of site access’

Authority: South Gloucestershire Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Nunn M

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the Framework
the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the landscape
the effect on living conditions at No 62 and No 66 Hencliffe Way, in terms of general disturbance
the effect on heritage assets
the overall planning balance

What decided it

The site's classification as 'Grey Belt' land satisfying all the Paragraph 155 criteria meant the proposal was not inappropriate development in the Green Belt, allowing the tilted balance to operate and the substantial housing and other benefits to outweigh the identified harms.

The substantial benefits of market and affordable housing delivery, economic, social and environmental benefits, and accessibility to services clearly outweighed the harms from landscape encroachment, limited living conditions harm, loss of best and most versatile agricultural land and low-level heritage harm, so the tilted balance in favour of granting permission was not displaced.

Framework references: 11, 58, 85, 96, 116, 142, 143, 155, 156, 157, 158, 187, 212, 215

Plan policies cited: Policy CS1, Policy CS1(3), Policy CS2(5), Policy CS5, Policy CS5(6)(c), Policy CS9(3), Policy CS9(9), Policy CS15, Policy PSP2, Policy PSP8, Policy PSP40

Judgments cited: Hawridge Strategic Land Ltd v SSHCLG and Buckinghamshore Council

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.