®Planning appeal decision
Northleigh Farm, Northleigh, Devon, EX24 6BL
Planning appeal 6001320 at Northleigh Farm, Northleigh, Devon, EX24 6BL (East Devon District Council) was dismissed on 6 February 2026 by Inspector Harley S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the building is needed for agricultural purposes.
conversion of a redundant agricultural building to form 1 no. self -build residential dwelling and associated works
- Authority
- East Devon District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Harley S
- Postcode
- EX24 6BL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the building is needed for agricultural purposes
- the effect on the character and appearance of the area
- whether the site is a suitable location with regard to accessibility of services and facilities
- the effect on protected species and habitats
What decided it
The Inspector could not rule out an adverse Likely Significant Effect on the integrity of protected habitats and species, which by virtue of Regulation 63 of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 prevented the competent authority from granting permission.
The benefits of housing delivery, economic benefits from construction, support for local services and vitality, and the absence of harm to character and appearance were substantially outweighed by the inability to rule out adverse effects on protected species and habitats, insufficient demonstration that the building is no longer needed for agricultural purposes, lack of accessibility to services and facilities, and the risk of proliferation of replacement buildings in the National Landscape.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Strategy 6Strategy 7Policy D8Policy D8(2)Policy D8(5)Policy D8(3)Policy D8(b)Policy D8(1)Policy D8(c)Strategy 5BPolicy TC2Strategy 47Policy EN5
- 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 East Devon
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Allowed29 October 20266012451Land Adjacent Sea Mist, Road From Three Horse Shoes to Norman Grave, Branscombe, EX12 3BR
- Dismissed6 August 20266008158Bowling Green, Plymtree, EX15 2LF
- Allowed29 April 20266002448Land South of Knights Lane, All Saints, Nr Axminster, Devon, EX13 7LS
- Dismissed1 April 20266001291Land South of 15 Halsdon Avenue, Exmouth, Devon, EX81DY
- Dismissed11 March 20266000858Land at Ngr 294398, 099671 (Between Hulford Cottage and Heathfield Cottage), Green Lane, Rewe, Devon, EX5 4EA
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.