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Planning appeal decision

Dismissed4 February 20266001637

Land at Sx 572 976, (West of Spinney Way),, Folly Gate, Okehampton, EX20 3FS

Planning appeal 6001637 at Land at Sx 572 976, (West of Spinney Way),, Folly Gate, Okehampton, EX20 3FS (West Devon Borough Council) was dismissed on 4 February 2026 by Inspector Hills J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on local housing needs.

erection of a dwelling and associated point of access and garden area

Authority
West Devon Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Hills J
Postcode
EX20 3FS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The effect of the proposed development on local housing needs

What decided it

The proposal would not make efficient use of the unusually large plot and would fail to respond positively to the most acute local housing need for smaller units, thereby conflicting with the development plan and the Framework's requirement for efficient land use, and the adverse impacts of this inefficiency would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the modest benefits of a single dwelling.

The social benefits of housing delivery and limited economic benefits were outweighed by the harm arising from inefficient use of land at a time when the Council cannot deliver the requisite number of homes, contrary to sustainable development objectives; the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy DEV8Policy SPT1Policy SPT2
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 61Paragraph 115Paragraph 129

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in West Devon

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

  1. Allowed4 February 20263369266
    Land Adjacent Huckleberry House, Bridestowe, Okehampton, EX20 4AR
  2. Dismissed11 April 20253350956
    Horrathorn Farm, Northlew, Okehampton, EX20 3BT
  3. Dismissed10 January 20253345959
    Greystone, Bere Ferrers, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 7JX
  4. Dismissed16 June 20233306164
    Axtown Lodge, Green Lane, Axtown, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6BW
  5. Dismissed27 October 20266012878
    Development Site at Sx 447 766, Lamerton, PL19 8RX

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.