Land At 376302 145919, Marston Road, Frome, Somerset, BA11 4DJ

the development of new commercial premises for Connor Construction (South West) Limited with associated access, parking and landscaping

Authority: Somerset Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
Inspector: Phillips B
Postcode: BA11 4DJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposal having regard to the development plan for the area
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
the effect of the proposal on the biodiversity of the site, including the effect of the proposed development on the integrity of the Mells Valley Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
the effect of the proposal on flood risk with particular reference to the drainage strategy

What decided it

The proposal would harm the character and appearance of the surrounding rural area and would not comply with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 due to uncertain effects on the Mells Valley SAC, and these harms were not outweighed by the moderate economic benefits.

Framework references: 89

Plan policies cited: Policy CP1, Policy CP3, Policy CP4, Policy DP1, Policy DP4, Policy DP5, Policy DP6, Policy DP7, Policy DP23

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.