The York Inn, Imperial Road, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 1BY

for two one-bedroom apartments over an existing public house

Authority: East Devon District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Plenty B

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development on flood related matters

What decided it

The Sequential Test was found to be insufficient because it unreasonably restricted the search to commercial sites, failing to adequately eliminate alternative sites in areas of lower flood risk, which provides a strong reason for refusal under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework.

The moderate benefits of housing delivery, economic and social benefits, and meeting local housing need were outweighed by the significant harm arising from the failure to adequately demonstrate that lower-risk sites are unavailable, in conflict with the development plan.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy EN21, Policy H2

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.

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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.
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