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Pickles approves two Gloucestershire developments


Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has granted planning permission on appeal to two separate development proposals for a total of 289 homes in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

The first application by developer Fay & Son for 250 homes at Highfield Farm in Tetbury was refused by Cotswold District Council in March 2011. The second application by Hannick Homes for 39 homes near Bath Road in Tetbury was refused in January 2012.

In both cases Pickles decided to approve the proposals following recommendations by a planning inspector to grant permission.

Pickles said in his decision notice (83-page / 839KB PDF) for the Highfield Farm proposal that, although the proposed development would cause harm to Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in conflict with the Council's development plan, the Council's shortfall in housing supply was a material consideration that outweighed the harm.

Pickles said that the Council had a "very serious shortfall" in its five year housing land supply under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). He said that this weighed in favour of granting permission to the proposal although the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the AONB meant that the presumption in favour of granting planning permission did not automatically apply.

Pickles pointed to the "pressing need for the proposed houses both locally and a need nationally to boost the supply of housing" and noted that the inspector had found "no evidence of anything other than a very limited scope to provide housing on sites outside the AONB".

He also said that the landscaping proposals would improve the visual quality of the relationship between the edges of the town and the adjoining countryside and would enhance the setting of Tetbury.

Pickles also pointed to the housing supply shortfall in his decision notice (66-page / 631KB PDF) for the Bath Road proposal and said that this outweighed the proposals conflict with the development plan policy to protect the AONB.

Pickles said that although the proposal did not constitute a major development within the AONB, this did not lessen the weight that should be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in AONBs. However, he said that although the loss of a field that was part of an AONB was "clearly" harmful, this particular field was surrounded by existing development and made "little contribution" to the overall character of the AONB.

The affordable housing provisions for the developments will include 50% for the Highfield Farm scheme and over 40% for the Bath Road scheme.

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