Case Studies, Planning Applications
Residential Development

We put forward an application for a development of 60 homes on the edge of the village of Small Drove. The housing mix we proposed was tailored precisely to the needs of the area – a combination of 1–4 bed houses, bungalows and affordable housing. We also proposed a generous area of public open space and a children’s playground, to help make up a for a shortage of these facilities within the village.

We successfully argued that this was a sustainable location for development which would bring significant benefits to the area. The proposals were highly tailored to the needs of the Council and of the area. The challenges were that the location was disfavoured for development under existing local policy, it was within sight of a Grade 1 listed church and within Flood Zone 2. We argued that the local policies that would have constrained this development were out of date, due to a significant shortfall in the Council’s housing land supply. The setting of the church, we suggested, was unharmed by the new development, as it is already adjacent to modern residential development. Applying the sequential test, we argued that the development in Flood Zone 2 was safe, and that the application site was the best and safest possible site for meeting the housing needs of the area.

Planning approval was given, and Weston gets a significant contribution to the housing that local people desperately need.