Land To The West Of, Batch Road, Puriton, Bridgwater, TA7 8BY

Change of use of land to a traveller site including ancillary hardstanding

Authority: Somerset Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning
Procedure: Written
Development: caravan-gypsy
Postcode: TA7 8BY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would comply with local and national planning policy which seeks to steer new development away from areas at the highest risk of flooding

What decided it

The proposal comprises Highly Vulnerable development within Flood Zone 3a where the evidence does not demonstrate that future occupiers would have safe access and egress during a flood event, conflicting with national and local flood risk policy.

The significant benefits of meeting identified gypsy and traveller accommodation need, personal circumstances of occupiers and best interests of children were substantially outweighed by the adverse impacts relating to flood risk and the safety of future occupiers, with paragraph 11(d)(i) of the Framework applying to disapply the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Framework references: 11, 24

Plan policies cited: Policy D1 of the Sedgemoor Local Plan 2011-2032

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

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