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Allowed10 July 20266004112

66 Bath Road, Wells, BA5 3LQ

Planning appeal 6004112 at 66 Bath Road, Wells, BA5 3LQ (Somerset Council) was allowed on 10 July 2026 by Inspector V Simpson, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the development on the provision of community facilities in the area.

change of use and partial demolition of existing building to form a single dwelling together with the erection of four new dwellings

Authority
Somerset Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning
Procedure
Written
Development
residential
Inspector
V Simpson
Postcode
BA5 3LQ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the development on the provision of community facilities in the area
  • highway safety
  • the integrity of the Somerset levels and moors Ramsar site, the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area, and the North Somerset and Mendip Bat Special Area of Conservation
  • whether material considerations indicate that a decision should be made other than in accordance with the development plan

What decided it

The shortfall in housing land supply (2.84 years) engaged the tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11(d), and the significant benefits of housing delivery and brownfield reuse on a sustainable site outweighed the substantial harm from loss of the community facility.

The great weight attributed to the harm from loss of the public house and conflict with policy DP17 was outweighed by the significant weight given to housing delivery benefits, substantial weight to brownfield reuse within a settlement, and the application of the presumption in favour of sustainable development under NPPF paragraph 11(d) due to the shortfall in housing land supply.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy DP17Policy DP9Policy DP10Policy DP5Policy DP6Policy DP7
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 56Paragraph 197

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Somerset Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

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  3. Dismissed14 October 20266012027
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  5. Allowed21 September 20266009739
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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.