®Planning appeal decision
Land North Of Whitchurch Station, Whitchurch, RG28 7ED
construction of a surface car park; landscape buffer planting and screening; SUDS; erection of single cafe unit (class E); fast-charging EV points; cycle parking facilities; creation of vehicular access pedestrian footpath to station platform
- Authority
- Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- other · Major retail and services
- Inspector
- Jones G
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development would accord with Policy SS11 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029
- Whether it amounts to major development in the terms of paragraph 190 of the National Planning Policy Framework
- The proposed development's effect on trees, including those subject to Tree Preservation Order
- Its overall effect on the North Wessex Downs National Landscape
- Whether any harm that might result from the development would be outweighed by other considerations
What decided it
The scheme's compliance with Local Plan Policy SS11 and the finding that its benefits (sustainable transport, biodiversity net gain, landscape improvements) comfortably outweighed the moderate residual landscape and visual harm.
The benefits of the scheme—support for rail travel as a sustainable mode of transport, biodiversity net gain and native tree planting, and landscape/visual benefits relative to the Council's favoured approach—would comfortably outweigh the residual moderate landscape and visual harm and the alleged policy conflict, including in respect of Policy SS11.
Framework references: 190, 187, 189
Plan policies cited: Policy SS11, Policy EM1, Policy EM10, Policy LD3, Policy LD2
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.