Across the day yesterday, 36 appeals were decided, granting permission for 13 new residential accommodation units in total — the decisions below cover renewable energy installations on grey belt land, listed building alterations, brownfield housing intensification, Class Q, short term let accommodation, enforcement drafting, agricultural occupancy controls, non designated heritage assets and digital advertising public safety.
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Bath and North East Somerset: Grey belt solar farm allowed despite landscape and heritage harm
A 28 hectare solar farm with battery storage was allowed in the Green Belt after the Inspector found the site to be grey belt land and the proposal not inappropriate development under the August 2026 Framework. Landscape and minor designated heritage harm were given significant weight, but were outweighed by renewable energy generation, energy security and biodiversity benefits, including a reported 54.33% habitat net gain. (6005916)
Cheshire East: Listed coach house conversion dismissed after hearing
Following a hearing, proposals to convert a curtilage listed coach house at Grove House and connect it to the main listed dwelling by a glazed link were dismissed. The Inspector accepted that a revised link could be neutral, but found that internal alterations, loss of historic fabric and large arched openings would erode the former coach house’s legibility and harm the listed building. (6006023, 6006027)
Barnet: Brownfield fallback supports nine unit housing scheme
Permission was granted for redevelopment of the former Glebe Motors site to provide nine self contained residential units. Although a seven-unit scheme was an extant fallback, the Inspector treated the appeal as a fresh assessment and found that lower ground floor living spaces, outlook, privacy and outdoor amenity would provide an acceptable standard of accommodation. (6010903)
Dorset: Class Q succeeds where repair works did not materially alter the building
Prior approval was granted for conversion of an agricultural building to two dwellings under Class Q. The Council argued that recent works prevented reliance on Class Q, but the Inspector found that replacement roof sheeting, timber cladding and internal timbers did not materially affect the external appearance and therefore did not amount to development for the relevant limitation. (6009129)
Barnet: Short term let unit assessed on its C1 merits
A roof extension and conversion to one Class C1 short term let unit was allowed. The Inspector found no policy basis for protecting vacant loft space as latent future C3 housing and assessed the proposal as C1 accommodation, noting that London Plan C3 space standards were relevant guidance but not directly applicable. (6008189)
City of York: Digital advertising turns on site specific public safety evidence
A single decision covered 12 digital bus shelter advertisement appeals. Eleven were allowed and one was dismissed because the display would be visible in a complex highway environment with petrol station movements, junctions, a bus gate, cycle lanes and pedestrian facilities. (6009003, 6009023)
East Lindsey: Enforcement notice quashed where the alleged change had not occurred
An enforcement notice alleging a change from agriculture to a private residential caravan site was quashed on ground (b). The Inspector found the land was a single residential planning unit, that two occupied static caravans were incidental to the dwellinghouse use, and that the storage use found on the evidence was fundamentally different from the allegation. (3378456)
West Oxfordshire: Agricultural occupancy condition remained in force
An LDC appeal seeking to retain an open market dwelling as built was dismissed. The appellant argued that the barn conversion differed so materially from the 1989 permission that the agricultural occupancy condition did not apply, but the Inspector found the differences were not material when assessed against the approved scheme as a whole. (3355154)
Cotswold: Self build replacement dwelling fails on non designated heritage asset loss
A self build replacement dwelling in Rodmarton was dismissed because demolition would result in total loss of a non designated heritage asset associated with the Arts and Crafts movement. The Inspector found no harm to the setting of nearby Grade II listed cottages, the conservation area or the Cotswolds National Landscape, but the limited benefits of self build, sustainability, landscaping and biodiversity did not outweigh the heritage harm. (6007188)
Shropshire: Temporary agricultural worker mobile home allowed for poultry unit
A three year permission was granted for an agricultural worker mobile home at a 32,000 bird free range egg unit. The Inspector accepted that automated systems, bird welfare, security and short response times established an essential and functional need for a 24 hour on site presence, and found that off site accommodation would not meet that need. (6006151)
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