®Planning appeal decision
Honey Orchard, Doverdale, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 0QB
change of use of land to a mixed use for the keeping of horses and as a residential caravan site for 3 Gypsy/Traveller families, with a total of 4 caravans including no more than 3 static caravans, together with the laying of hardstanding, widening of access, and erection of amenity building (part retrospective)
- Authority
- Wychavon District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Nicholls H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the location of the development would accord with local policies concerning development in the countryside
- the effects of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- the effects of the proposal on local amenity
- whether other considerations, including the general need for and supply of Gypsy sites, outweigh any harm identified, such as to justify the development
What decided it
The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable Gypsy and Traveller pitches engaged the tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11(d), and the limited landscape/visual harm did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the additional pitch provision.
The landscape and visual harms, which conflicted with SWDP25 but did not meet the higher SWDP17 threshold, were outweighed by the benefits of providing two further Traveller pitches to address the pitch supply shortfall, so the adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under NPPF paragraph 11(d)
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: SWDP17, SWDP25
Judgments cited: Doncaster MBC v FSS & Angela Smith [2007]; S Cambs DC v SSCLG and Julie Brown [2008] EWCA Civ 1010
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.