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Dismissed29 June 20266006347

Home Spring, Houghton Road, North Houghton, Stockbridge, SO20 6LF

Planning appeal 6006347 at Home Spring, Houghton Road, North Houghton, Stockbridge, SO20 6LF (Test Valley) was dismissed on 29 June 2026 by Inspector Hannah Guest, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether there is an essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at the appeal site, with specific regard to the existing horticultural business and whether that business is viable.

erection of self-build live-work building (with agricultural occupancy restriction tied to Home Spring Gardens Ltd) with associated parking and landscaping

Authority
Test Valley
Appeal type
Planning
Procedure
Hearing
Development
residential
Inspector
Hannah Guest
Postcode
SO20 6LF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether there is an essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at the appeal site, with specific regard to the existing horticultural business and whether that business is viable
  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, and whether it would preserve the significance of nearby listed buildings

What decided it

The less than substantial harm to the significance and setting of the Grade II listed Cottage was not outweighed by the modest public benefits, providing a strong reason for refusal that displaced the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

the modest benefits of the proposal, including self-build housing delivery and economic/social benefits, did not outweigh the less than substantial harm to the significance of the Grade II listed Cottage, so the appeal was dismissed

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy COM2Policy COM10Policy E1Policy E9Policy HTN1Policy HTN4
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 58Paragraph 212Paragraph 215

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 Test Valley

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

  1. Dismissed6 July 20266004535
    Larch Gables, Old Stockbridge Road, Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, SO20 8DZ
  2. Allowed25 June 20266006170
    Land West of Sandhill Farm, Salisbury Road, Sherfield English, SO51 6FL
  3. Dismissed1 May 20266004223
    Appledore, The Drive, East Wellow, Romsey, SO51 6BN
  4. Dismissed23 October 20253367177
    Mornington , North Lane, West Tytherley, Hampshire, SP5 1LX
  5. Dismissed25 September 20253352671
    Land at Spencer's Farm, Stockbridge Road, King's Somborne, SO20 6NZ

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.