The View

Notwithstanding its location in open countryside and the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), where there was a general policy presumption against new housing, Tewkesbury Borough Council was persuaded to grant permission for the redevelopment of a relatively large, long established and rundown car sales, repair and former petrol filing site (Cleeve Hill Garage) for four dwellings of modern design, after Philip set out the benefits of the proposed development in a comprehensive planning statement.

The planning benefits put forward included the opportunity to extinguish an inappropriately located, unsightly and ‘unrestricted by any planning permission’ commercial use within an AONB close to other dwellings, with significant improvements to the scenic qualities of the AONB and the amenities of neighbouring residents, the contribution to sustainability objectives through the redevelopment of a predominantly brownfield site; the significant reduction in car trips that would result; improvements to existing vehicular access arrangements; and the opportunity to remediate a contaminated site.

The application had also been supported by an access statement, ecological assessment, phase 1 hazard identification statement, landscape and visual impact assessment, indicative landscape layout plan and a method statement detailing how works close to neighbouring trees would be carried out.

The case is a good example of how the decision-making test at s38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 should be applied. It also illustrates the value of presenting applications with well-prepared supporting information.

Image credit: Clive Petch Architects