Whitsbury Stables, Fordingbridge Road, Whitsbury, SP6 3QB

Planning appeal 6005398 at Whitsbury Stables, Fordingbridge Road, Whitsbury, SP6 3QB (New Forest) was allowed on 18 June 2026 by Inspector T Bennett, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the principle of development is acceptable having regard to the local development plan policy on workers dwellings in the countryside, in particular whether the location of the dwellings would be capable of meeting the identified functional need and be well-related to existing farm buildings or other dwellings, and whether the functional need could be fulfilled by another existing dwelling on the unit or other existing accommodation in the area, which is suitable and available for occupation.

demolition of existing dwelling and barn, partial demolition and conversion of existing racing stables and erection of five dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping

Authority: New Forest
Appeal type: minor · Planning
Procedure: Hearing
Development: residential
Inspector: T Bennett
Postcode: SP6 3QB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the principle of development is acceptable having regard to the local development plan policy on workers dwellings in the countryside, in particular whether the location of the dwellings would be capable of meeting the identified functional need and be well-related to existing farm buildings or other dwellings, and whether the functional need could be fulfilled by another existing dwelling on the unit or other existing accommodation in the area, which is suitable and available for occupation
The effect of the proposal on the Cranborne Chase National Landscape with particular regard to dark skies and landscaping

What decided it

The Council's very significant shortfall in housing land supply (1.53 years) engaged the presumption in favour of sustainable development under paragraph 11d) of the Framework, reducing the weight attached to the policy conflict so that the benefits of the scheme outweighed it.

The modest weight given to conflict with Policies DM20 and DM21 was outweighed by the significant weight given to the cumulative benefits of the scheme, so the adverse impacts of granting permission did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits and the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy DM20Policy DM21Policy ENV4Policy STR2
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 55
Judgments: Morge v Hampshire County Council [2011] UKSC2

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.

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The decision letter

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

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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.