®Planning appeal decision
Valera Ltd, Plox Brow, Tarleton, PR4 6HB
Planning appeal 6004952 at Valera Ltd, Plox Brow, Tarleton, PR4 6HB (West Lancashire District Council) was dismissed on 30 September 2026, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would be appropriately located having regard to flood risk.
residential development, including five dwellings and an apartment block (4 flats) with associated access, parking and landscaping following demolition of existing buildings
- Authority
- West Lancashire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Postcode
- PR4 6HB
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed development would be appropriately located having regard to flood risk
- the effect of the proposed development on the existing and potential employment use of the site
What decided it
The proposal failed to satisfy the sequential test for flood risk by not comparing reasonably available alternative sites at lower flood risk, and the evidence did not demonstrate that the employment use of the site should be relinquished, together giving rise to conflict with the development plan that was not overcome by the presumption in favour of sustainable development under Policy S4.
The substantial benefits of providing 9 dwellings to meet housing need and the limited benefit of reusing previously developed land were substantially outweighed by the significant adverse effect of failing to apply the sequential approach to flood risk and the significant adverse effect of the loss of employment land without evidence of unsuitability or non-viability.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GN3Policy GN5Policy EC1Policy EC2Policy GN4
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
More decisions in West Lancashire District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
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- Allowed13 October 202660137566 Moss Lane, Bickerstaffe, L39 0EX
- Allowed5 October 20266010014Land at Heathey Lane, Shirdley Hill, Halsall, West Lancs, L39 8SH
- Allowed24 September 20266007730Land to the Rear of 137 Station Road, Hesketh Bank, Preston, PR4 6SR
- Dismissed24 September 20266007447Black Moss Farm, Black Moss Lane, Scarisbrick, Ormskirk, L40 9RN
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.