®Planning appeal decision
Agricultural Building North West of Pockerley Riding School, Birtley, Gateshead, DH9 0RZ
Planning appeal 3373808 at Agricultural Building North West of Pockerley Riding School, Birtley, Gateshead, DH9 0RZ (Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council) was dismissed on 24 December 2025 by Inspector Teasdale N, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including any effect on openness, having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
Change of use and conversion of existing agricultural/stables building to a single dwellinghouse (Use Class C3)
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Teasdale N
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including any effect on openness, having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- Whether the site location would be suitable for the proposed development having regard to sustainability/accessibility
- Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the proposal
What decided it
The building does not meet the permanent and substantial construction test required by paragraph 154 h) iv of the Framework, combined with the site's unsustainable location in isolation from services and facilities, means very special circumstances do not exist to justify inappropriate Green Belt development.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and the harm from unsustainability were not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of providing one dwelling and securing the building's maintenance, such that very special circumstances do not arise.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS19Policy CS13Policy MSGP15
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 84Paragraph 115Paragraph 11
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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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.