Aldermaston House, Dubbs Cross, Virginstow, Devon, EX21 5DY

Planning appeal 3362080 at Aldermaston House, Dubbs Cross, Virginstow, Devon, EX21 5DY (Torridge District Council) was dismissed on 24 June 2025 by Inspector Roberts G, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.

to construct a new dwelling in replacement of the previously approved permission (1/0413/2023//FUL)

Authority: Torridge District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Roberts G
Postcode: EX21 5DY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area

What decided it

The proposed dwelling would result in significant harm to the character and appearance of the area through its visual prominence and incongruous siting in the open countryside, which would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the limited benefits of housing supply.

The limited benefits of one new dwelling and short-term construction employment were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the harm to character and appearance and conflict with development plan policies that remain consistent with the NPPF; the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d)(ii) did not apply because the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy ST04Policy DM04Policy DM08APolicy DM26 a)
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 8Paragraph 11Paragraph 61Paragraph 73Paragraph 78Paragraph 83Paragraph 135Paragraph 187

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 applied

The 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.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

2 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision

An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter — Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.

Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app — Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.

Start your free trial

More decisions in Torridge

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

Allowed30 September 20266010706
Sleepy Corner, Stibb Cross, Torrington, EX38 8LH
Allowed16 September 20266009632
Land At Grid Reference 235658 108325, Holsworthy Beacon, Holsworthy, EX22 7NE
Dismissed16 September 20266009618
Land At Grid Reference 251114 109537, Petrockstowe, EX20 3HQ
Dismissed1 September 20266010166
Nectar Haze, Bounds Cross, Pyworthy, EX22 6LH
Dismissed20 August 20266010409
Land at Berry Cross, Langtree, EX38 8NT

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.