Land at Lower Wyke, St Mary Bourne, SP116AW

The development of ground mounted solar photovoltaic array, with associated infrastructure, security fencing, CCTV, associated cable route, private and DNO substations, landscaping and onsite biodiversity net gain

Authority: Basingstoke and Deane
Appeal type: Planning
Procedure: Hearing
Development: utilities-energy
Postcode: SP11 6AW

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development on the landscape and visual amenity of the surrounding area and the NL
whether there are exceptional circumstances and whether it would be in the public interest
the effect of the proposed development on historic heritage assets

What decided it

The substantial public benefits of the renewable energy scheme (climate change, energy security and economic benefits) were found to satisfy the exceptional circumstances/public interest test under NPPF paragraph 190 and to outweigh the localised, moderate landscape, visual and heritage harms identified.

the adverse impacts, the conflict with relevant development plan policies and the inconsistency with the statutory purposes of the National Landscape were outweighed by the scheme's substantial environmental, social and economic benefits

Framework references: 190

Plan policies cited: Policy EM1, Policy P5, Policy EM8

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.

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.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.