Fairash House, Harptree Hill, West Harptree, BS40 6EQ

conversion of existing shed into a detached 1 bedroom dwelling

Authority: Bath and North East Somerset Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Cooper-Young C

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the landscape character
whether the proposed dwelling would be in a suitable location having regard to relevant development plan policies
the effect of the proposed development on highway safety

What decided it

The great weight required to be given to conserving and enhancing the landscape and scenic beauty of the Mendip Hills National Landscape, combined with the unsuitability of the countryside location, outweighed the modest contribution to housing supply and local economic benefits.

The modest contribution to housing delivery and local economic benefits were outweighed by the great weight to be given to conserving and enhancing the Mendip Hills National Landscape and the harm from locating residential development in an unsuitable countryside location.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy NE2, Policy D2, Policy RE6, Policy DW1, Policy ST7

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.