®Planning appeal decision
Ansteys Orchard, Rutherford Street, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5GZ
Planning appeal 6001722 at Ansteys Orchard, Rutherford Street, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5GZ (Exeter City Council) was dismissed on 12 February 2026 by Inspector Harley S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether or not satisfactory living conditions would be provided for future occupiers of the proposed dwellings with particular regard to outdoor amenity space, outlook and privacy.
outline application for redevelopment for 5 no. dwellings with all matters reserved except access (all matters relating to scale, layout, external appearance and landscaping reserved for future consideration)
- Authority
- Exeter City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Harley S
- Postcode
- EX2 5GZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not satisfactory living conditions would be provided for future occupiers of the proposed dwellings with particular regard to outdoor amenity space, outlook and privacy
- the effect of the proposal on the living conditions of occupiers of neighbouring properties with particular regard to outlook and privacy
- whether or not the density of development would be appropriate for the site
What decided it
The proposal would fail to provide satisfactory living conditions for future occupiers, particularly in relation to outdoor amenity space, outlook and privacy, and would not amount to good design, which is a key aspect of sustainable development.
The modest benefits of providing five much-needed houses and making good use of previously developed land were outweighed by the failure to provide good design and satisfactory living conditions for future occupiers, to which the Inspector gave overriding weight.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Objective 1 of the Exeter City Council Core Strategy 2012Objective 3 of the Exeter City Council Core Strategy 2012Objective 9 of the Exeter City Council Core Strategy 2012Saved Policy H1 of the Exeter Local Plan First Review 2005Saved Policy DG4 of the Exeter Local Plan First Review 2005Saved Policy H2 of the Exeter Local Plan First Review 2005Saved Policy DG4(b) of the Exeter Local Plan First Review 2005Saved Policy DG4(a) of the Exeter Local Plan First Review 2005
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 131
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.