Land at Grid Reference 245543 129173, Northam, Devon, EX39 1DA

residential development for up to 39 dwellings including 30% affordable housing and supporting infrastructure

Authority: Torridge District Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Marigold O

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
the effect of the proposal on heritage assets
whether the proposal would accord with the spatial strategy of the Development Plan, including in respect of the Undeveloped Coast
whether any harm in respect of the above matters would be outweighed by other considerations, in particular the benefits of the proposal

What decided it

The cumulative harm to landscape character and conflict with the spatial strategy for the Undeveloped Coast, combined with heritage harm, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of the scheme.

The significant adverse impacts on character and appearance and conflict with the spatial strategy, together with less than substantial heritage harm, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing, economic and ecological gains, tipping the balance against the proposal.

Framework references: 11, 212, 215, 14

Plan policies cited: ST09(7), ST09, DM08A, ST14, ST06, ST07(4), ST07, NOR10

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.