Planning appeal decision
Land at School Lane, Lea, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 9PQ
Planning appeal 6000884 at Land at School Lane, Lea, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 9PQ (Wiltshire Council) was allowed on 27 February 2026 by Inspector Kay D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitable for the proposed development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development.
the erection of one dwelling
- Authority
- Wiltshire Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Kay D
- Postcode
- SN16 9PQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitable for the proposed development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development
What decided it
The Council's inability to demonstrate five years' housing land supply (2.42 years) triggered the presumption in favour of sustainable development under NPPF paragraph 11(d), which applied because no Framework policies protecting areas of particular importance were engaged, and the adverse impacts of the proposal did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
The adverse impacts of the proposal associated with its location in open countryside and conflict with WCS policies did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of housing delivery and the site's sustainable location when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole; the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied and weighed heavily in favour of allowing the appeal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CP1Policy CP2Policy CP60Policy CP61
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 110
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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With an account
What an account adds to this decision


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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.
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