®Planning appeal decision
Land at Crane Cottages, Cooks Lane, Cranmore, BA4 4QJ
Planning appeal 6003863 at Land at Crane Cottages, Cooks Lane, Cranmore, BA4 4QJ (Somerset Council) was allowed on 15 October 2026, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal site would be a sustainable location for the proposed development having regard to local policies.
for outline planning permission with some matters reserved for 25no. dwellinghouses, community shop, parking, servicing and landscaping with details of access
- Authority
- Somerset Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential
- Postcode
- BA4 4QJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site would be a sustainable location for the proposed development having regard to local policies
- Whether there is a need for the proposed quantum of affordable homes having regard to local policies
- Whether the proposal would make adequate provision for any additional need for primary care, affordable housing, public open space, on-site biodiversity net gain, travel planning, development monitoring and site management and maintenance arising from the development
What decided it
The substantial weight attached to the delivery of 25 affordable homes in an area with a 2.84-year housing land supply was not substantially outweighed by the harm from conflict with the development plan's sustainable location policies.
the benefits of 25 affordable homes, the community shop and other associated benefits would not be substantially outweighed by the adverse effects associated with conflict with Policies CP1, CP2 and DP9 of the LP, so the presumption in favour of development under Policies S3 and S5 of the Framework applied and permission was granted
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- CP1CP2CP4CP6DP1DP4DP7DP9DP11DP12DP12(1)(a)DP12(1)(b)DP12(1)(c)DP13DP16DP19DP23
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 17Paragraph 159Paragraph 160Paragraph 167Paragraph 174-180Policy S3Policy S5Policy TR3Policy TR4Policy HO10Policy HC4Policy HO7
- Judgments
- Trusthouse Forte v Secretary of State for the Environment (1987) 53 P & CR 293; R (oao Jones) v North Warwickshire Borough Council [2001] PLCR 31; Vistry Homes Limited v SSLUHC; St Albans City and District Council, Colney Heath Parish Council [2024] EWHC 2088 (Admin)
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.