®Planning appeal decision
Land at Sarscow Farm, To the West Side of Sarscow Lane, Chorley, PR26 8LS
Planning appeal 6004784 at Land at Sarscow Farm, To the West Side of Sarscow Lane, Chorley, PR26 8LS (Chorley Borough Council) was dismissed on 16 June 2026 by Inspector J D Clark, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development with regard to: whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework; the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt; whether the amount of development proposed would make efficient use of land; and whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development.
Application for permission in principle: The construction of up to one dwellinghouse
- Authority
- Chorley Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Inspector
- J D Clark
- Postcode
- PR26 8LS
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development with regard to: whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework; the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt; whether the amount of development proposed would make efficient use of land; and whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt with no very special circumstances to justify it, as the harm caused by inappropriateness and harm to openness would not be clearly outweighed by the modest housing contribution, particularly given the unsustainable location and failure to make efficient use of land.
The harm caused by inappropriateness and harm to openness of the Green Belt, carrying substantial weight, was not clearly outweighed by the modest contribution to housing supply, as the proposal would be in an unsustainable location and fail to make efficient use of land, such that the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Core Strategy Policy 1Core Strategy Policy 5Core Strategy paragraph 10.13Local Plan Policy BNE5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 129Paragraph 143Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Chorley Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
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- Dismissed2 July 20266007888Chisnall House Farm, Croston Lane, Chorley, PR7 5HJ
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.