SF Planning is pleased to announce that it continues to expand the number of permissions being secured for self-build dwellings outside development boundaries.  Following on from our success in Tewkesbury Borough we have now secured planning permission for five self-build homes on land outside a settlement boundary in the administrative boundaries of the Forest of Dean District Council.

Bromesberrow Heath is a small village on the A438 and close to the M50, approximately 16 miles to the east of Hereford.

Despite a lack of support from the Forest of Dean District Council, SF Planning provided a comprehensive and well researched case via the appeal process.  The Planning Inspector took the decision to allow the appeal.

The planning permission is another ground breaking application to be obtained by SF Planning for self-build development which in this instance was featured in the Planning Resource.  This was despite conflict with the adopted Development Plan as it relates to housing in general.

In a similar vein to the decision in Tewkesbury Borough, there are no policies in the currently adopted Local Plan to cater for the identified need, this and the individual merits put forward for the site (close proximity to the settlement boundary, the character of the site and its previously developed use) led to the appeal being allowed.

Although Bromesberrow Heath is a relatively small village of 210 residents it was felt by the inspector that a development of this nature could positively contribute to the village.  When dealing with the legal duty to satisfy the demand as set out on the self-build register, the Inspector noted that “given the lack of any clear policy within the development plan regarding such housing [self-build housing] or evidence of local initiatives to promote it, I do not share the Council’s apparent confidence that the requirement would be met“.

The Inspector went on to conclude that, “It is not unusual for there to be some tensions between different policies within development plans and for proposals to comply with elements of some policies and not others.  In this case, notwithstanding limited harm from likely use of the private motor car, I consider that the proposal complies with the objectives and policies within the development plan, taken as a whole.”  

For further information on this project please contact Mark Godson.