®Planning appeal decision
Land Adj No. 1 Youlston Close, Shirwell, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4JW
Planning appeal 6000670 at Land Adj No. 1 Youlston Close, Shirwell, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4JW (North Devon District Council) was allowed on 12 November 2025 by Inspector Hills J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the site is a suitable location having regard to the local housing strategy, including character and appearance of the area.
Outline application for the erection of two dwellings and access with some matters reserved (Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale)
- Authority
- North Devon District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Hills J
- Postcode
- EX31 4JW
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site is a suitable location having regard to the local housing strategy, including character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The absence of a five-year housing land supply triggered the tilted balance under Framework paragraph 11, and the social and economic benefits of housing delivery on a sustainable, well-related village site outweighed the conflict with the development plan's affordable housing requirement.
The social benefits of housing delivery (limited to one additional dwelling given a recent permission) and modest economic benefits to the construction industry and local economy, together with the site's sustainability as a location well related to a village with facilities and good connections, outweighed the adverse impact of providing open market rather than affordable housing and the conflict with the local housing strategy; the proposal amounts to sustainable development under Framework paragraph 11.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy ST07Policy SHWPolicy DM23Policy DM04Policy ST15
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in North Devon
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Notice varied and upheld16 September 2026336753131 High Street, Ilfracombe, Devon, EX34 9DA
- Dismissed7 August 20266008489Quiet Waters, Atherington, EX37 9HZ
- Dismissed3 August 20266010545Land South of Four Crossway, Bratton Fleming, Barnstaple, EX32 7JL
- Dismissed24 June 20266005672Land off Bottoms Lane, Darracott, EX33 1JY
- Allowed18 June 20266006157Horseshoe Lodge, Burrington, Umberleigh, EX37 9LH
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.