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Dismissed5 August 20253362551

Bickham Farm, Yelverton, Plymouth, PL6 7BJ

Planning appeal 3362551 at Bickham Farm, Yelverton, Plymouth, PL6 7BJ (West Devon Borough Council) was dismissed on 5 August 2025 by Inspector Nicholls H, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effects of the proposal on Best and Most Versatile agricultural land.

Proposed siting of an earth bank lined slurry lagoon

Authority
West Devon Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
agricultural · Other minor developments
Inspector
Nicholls H
Postcode
PL6 7BJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effects of the proposal on Best and Most Versatile agricultural land
  • whether the proposal would conserve and enhance the Tamar Valley National Landscape
  • the effects of the proposal on the Shaugh Prior Woods SSSI, South Dartmoor Woods SAC, Tamar Tavy Estuary SSSI, Plymouth Sound and Estuaries SAC and Grenofen Wood and West Down SSSI
  • whether the proposal would be served by adequate means of surface water drainage
  • whether the proposal would incorporate adequate carbon reduction measures

What decided it

The proposal's failure to conserve and enhance the Tamar Valley National Landscape, its potential to harm the integrity of SACs and SSSIs through unassessed in-combination ammonia effects, and its lack of adequate carbon reduction measures collectively conflicted with the development plan such that the benefits did not outweigh the harm.

the benefits of supporting the farming operation and economic considerations did not outweigh the conflict with the development plan arising from landscape harm, potential SAC and SSSI integrity effects, and inadequate carbon reduction measures

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy SPT1(3)(iv)Policy DEV2(6)Policy TTV26(2)(v)Policy TTV26(2)(vi)Policy DEV23Policy DEV25Policy DEV2Policy DEV26Policy DEV32Policy DEV35Policy SP1.1Policy SP1.2
Judgments
Holborn Studios Ltd v The Council of the London Borough of Hackney [2017] EWHC 2823; Wheatcroft Ltd v SSE [1982]

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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More decisions in West Devon

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

  1. Notice varied and upheld29 April 20263374695
    Land at Higher Liftondown Heights SX365854, Liftondown, Launceston, PL16 0DB
  2. Notice varied and upheld29 April 20263374608
    Land at SX367853, West of Midway, Liftondown, Devon, PL16 0DB
  3. Allowed9 March 20266002087
    The Old Forge, Road From Castle Cross To Grindhill Cross, Broadbury, Devon, EX2 4LG
  4. Allowed28 January 20266000708
    Wooladon Farm, Lifton, Devon, PL16 0DD
  5. Allowed16 January 20263365747
    Town Farm, Launceston Road , Bridestowe, Devon, EX20 4BR

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.