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

Planning appeal 6009369 at Land To The West Of, Batch Road, Puriton, Bridgwater, TA7 8BY (Somerset Council) was dismissed on 13 August 2026 by Inspector Laura Cuthbert, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: 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.

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

Authority: Somerset Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning
Procedure: Written
Development: caravan-gypsy
Inspector: Laura Cuthbert
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.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy D1 of the Sedgemoor Local Plan 2011-2032
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 24

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 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.