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Dismissed2 July 20266005494

Land At Spout House Farm, Blackburn Road, Higher Wheelton, PR6 8HS

Planning appeal 6005494 at Land At Spout House Farm, Blackburn Road, Higher Wheelton, PR6 8HS (Chorley Borough Council) was dismissed on 2 July 2026 by Inspector E Heron, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt with regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.

Permission in Principle application for a minimum of one dwelling and a maximum of five dwellings

Authority
Chorley Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning
Procedure
Written
Development
residential
Inspector
E Heron
Postcode
PR6 8HS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt with regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
  • the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
  • the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including density and efficient use of land
  • whether harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm is outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The site's location fails to offer genuine sustainable transport solutions and safe access for all users, and the proposal makes inefficient use of land, such that the grey belt exception criteria are not satisfied and very special circumstances do not exist to justify inappropriate Green Belt development.

The substantial weight afforded to Green Belt harm and harm to location and inefficient use of land was not outweighed by the limited weight given to housing supply benefits and modest social and economic benefits, such that very special circumstances do not exist.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy BNE5Policy 1 of the Core StrategyPolicy 5 of the Core StrategyPolicy HS6
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 129Paragraph 130Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
Judgments
Woodcock Holdings Ltd v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2015] EWHC 1173 (Admin); Julian Wood v SSCLG and Gravesham Borough Council [2015]

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 Chorley Borough Council

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

  1. Dismissed27 October 20266010419
    Sibbering's Farmhouse, Dawson Lane, Chorley, PR6 7DT
  2. Dismissed22 October 20266007934
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  3. Dismissed6 October 20266013193
    47 Washington Lane, Euxton, Chorley, PR7 6DQ
  4. Dismissed6 October 20266012610
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  5. Dismissed2 July 20266007888
    Chisnall 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.

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.