®Planning appeal decision
The Hollies, Land to the South of Hollies Bungalow. Currently the Garden, Pensford, Somerset, BS39 4AU
Planning appeal 3359708 at The Hollies, Land to the South of Hollies Bungalow. Currently the Garden, Pensford, Somerset, BS39 4AU (Bath and North East Somerset Council) was dismissed on 12 June 2025 by Inspector Faulkner H, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies.
‘The building of a 3-bed bungalow on the garden of The Hollies bungalow. The site is just outside the HDB in the Green Belt. As such it seeks to satisfy the requirements of very special circumstances through high quality design and unique ecological credentials to allow fuel free space heating in winter (zero CO2, zero cost) .’
- Authority
- Bath and North East Somerset Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Faulkner H
- Postcode
- BS39 4AU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies
- The effect of the proposal on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
- Whether the proposal is in a suitable location for a dwelling having regard to relevant development plan policies
- The effect of the development on provision of parking
- Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and loss of openness is not clearly outweighed by the other considerations advanced, and very special circumstances do not exist.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt, including harm to its openness, was not clearly outweighed by the moderate weight given to sustainable energy design, modest weight for housing contribution, and limited weight for design, self-build potential and biodiversity enhancements, resulting in dismissal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CP8 of the Core StrategyPolicy GB1 of the Placemaking PlanPolicy DW1 of the Local Plan Partial UpdatePolicy ST7 of the Local Plan Partial Update
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154
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
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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.