It has been a long journey but RCC are delighted to received the news we were waiting for for the site in Wiltshire. The extract below shows the proposed layout and the CGI image above is a view at the centre of the site.
Whilst the site had been allocated for housing in the village neighbourhood plan when our clients submitted an application for the planning application it received high levels of objections on the grounds that the garage of the site was a valued community asset. It was clear quite quickly that the support of the planning officer may not be enough, and that was the case.
Whilst the planning officer recommended approval the application was 'called in' to the planning committee where councillors eventually refused the application on the basis of the loss of what they considered was a 'community asset'. Even though it was clear that the decision was flawed and a misinterpretation of planning policy there was nothing we could do other than prepare a planning appeal against the refusal.
Five months after submitting the appeal we have just received the decision where the Government appointed Planning Inspector has fully endorsed the arguments put forward by RCC and allowed the appeal. In also allowing a full award of costs the Inspector has confirmed that the council acted unreasonably in refusing the planning application.
