®Planning appeal decision
Bristol Road, Wraxall, BS48 1NE
Installation of a novel hydro turbine and the provision of 3no. gypsy/traveller pitches
- Authority
- North Somerset Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- gypsy-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Jones M
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, with particular regard to highway safety and the proximity of services and facilities
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect of the proposal on biodiversity, with reference to protected species
- 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 combination of unacceptable highway safety harm at the access and insufficient evidence to rule out unacceptable effects on protected bat species meant the very special circumstances necessary to justify inappropriate Green Belt development did not exist.
The significant weight given to unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches (114 pitches needed by 2042, with only 44 proposed in the emerging Local Plan) and the appellant's personal circumstances, together with moderate weight for renewable energy benefits, biodiversity net gain, and high quality living conditions, did not clearly outweigh the substantial weight given to inappropriate Green Belt development, the limited harm to openness, and the unacceptable harm to protected species.
Framework references: 11, 13, 110, 115, 142, 143, 155
Plan policies cited: Policy E of the Planning Policy for Travellers Sites, Policy CS18 of the Core Strategy, Policy DM24 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1, Policy CS6 of the Core Strategy, Policy DM12 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1, Policy CS4 of the Core Strategy, Policy DM8 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1, Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy, Policy DM10 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1, Policy DM32 of the Development Management Policies Sites and Policies Plan Part 1
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.