The Planning and Architecture department at Sheldon Bosley Knight is celebrating after receiving Planning Inspectorate approval of an appeal against Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s refusal of a change of use application.
The application, for the change of use of two pig units to storage and distribution, was initially refused. Conversion of a building for business purposes is considered acceptable in principle, subject to location, character, historic or architectural merit, being suitable for the proposed use and having been in existence for at least ten years. The refusal claimed that “the buildings, subject to this application, have evidently not been in existence for ten years and the development is therefore contrary to policy.”
Planning permission for the two units was granted in August 2011, giving a timescale of nearly eight years of sole agricultural use. In our Appeal Representations, we accepted that the ten year period hadn’t been met by two years. We argued that planning judgement should be applied to the buildings, and that any extension for the use of supplying further livestock would not be successful due to odour and environmental health concerns.
The inspector concluded that although failing to meet the policy conditions, it met other requirements through the location and character being suitable for the proposed use. The conversion would help to secure managed economic growth and contribute to the maintenance of sustainable communities in the district. It would also maintain the vitality of rural communities and strengthen rural economy, in accordance with policy and provisions of the framework. It was found that the proposal represented an appropriate use for the buildings with regard to local and national policies which seek to protect the countryside.
Congratulations to our planning and architecture team, who showed hard work and dedication to the appeal on behalf of our client. The Town Planner for this case was Lucy Pierce, while the Architectural Technician was Nadia Amietszajew.
