®Planning appeal decision
Middle Moor Farm, Middle Moor Farm Drive, Longhirst, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 3HX
Planning appeal 6003322 at Middle Moor Farm, Middle Moor Farm Drive, Longhirst, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 3HX (Northumberland County Council) was dismissed on 15 April 2026 by Inspector Martinson P, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
Development of a self-build residential dwelling house; all matters reserved other than access
- Authority
- Northumberland County Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Martinson P
- Postcode
- NE61 3HX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- whether or not the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposed development having regard to the development plan policies
- whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The substantial harm to Green Belt openness from introducing a dwelling into an open field, combined with the site's unsustainable location and conflict with development plan policies, could not be clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of a single self-build dwelling.
The substantial weight required to be given to Green Belt harm was not clearly outweighed by the comparatively minor benefits of the proposed scheme, including the self-build consideration.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy STP 7Policy STP 8Policy ST 1Policy HOU 7Policy HOU 8
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 57
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
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.