Appeal dismissed for new home on greenbelt despite housing shortage

An appeal to put a large self-built house on the edge of Burnham has been dismissed after a planning inspector concluded it would harm the openness of the greenbelt.

The case concerned land east of Wymers Wood Road, where permission was sought to construct a five-bedroom house with two storeys, a garage, new access, parking and landscaping (24/2850)

Buckinghamshire Council refused the application in June, citing its conflict with local and national greenbelt policies.

They also noted the risk of extra pressure on the nearby Burnham Beeches, which is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), home to rare ancient woodland and species that are sensitive to disturbance.

The applicant took the decision to appeal.

Inspectors made a site visit and found that although the land sits close to existing housing, it is open and undeveloped, with grass, bushes and trees giving it a rural character.

The appellant argued the site should qualify as ‘greybelt’ under the latest national planning framework, which allows certain exceptions for land that does not strongly contribute to the key purposes of the greenbelt.

However, while the inspector accepted the land did not strongly contribute to preventing urban sprawl or the merging of towns, they found it did contribute to protecting the countryside from encroachment.

The introduction of a substantial new house, driveway and hardstanding would ‘fundamentally undermine’ the remaining greenbelt purposes across the plan area.

Inspector K Reeves wrote: “Given that there are currently no buildings on the site, the construction of the proposed development would result in a considerable increase in building volume.

“The proposal would therefore inevitably reduce the spatial openness of the site.”

The inspector also considered whether the site could be classed as ‘limited infilling in a village’, another exception under Government policy.

This generally means a small amount of new development placed in a gap between existing buildings.

But the inspector concluded that, although the plot sits between houses on Wymers Wood Road, it does not have a strong link to the built-up area of Burnham – and is instead more related to its rural surroundings.

Concerns about Burnham Beeches were partly addressed through a legal agreement providing a financial contribution towards mitigation measures.

But as the proposal was already found unacceptable on greenbelt grounds, this did not alter the outcome.

K Reeves considered the housing need – even a single home would help to address the current ‘substantial housing delivery shortfall’ in Bucks.

A local authority also has an obligation to supply land for a certain amount of custom/self-build housing.

But, while the inspector acknowledged that the scheme would contribute one home to housing supply, support the self-build market, provide biodiversity enhancements and bring modest economic benefits, these did not outweigh the significant greenbelt harm.

“The other considerations do not clearly outweigh the substantial weight that I have given to the harm that would be caused to the greenbelt," K Reeves wrote.

“The very special circumstances necessary to justify the development do not exist,” the inspector concluded.

The appeal was therefore dismissed, and the council’s refusal stands.