DPDS Consulting has obtained planning permission for eight new dwellings at a site at Hungerford Station Yard recently.

The Inspector allowed the appeal in his decision released on 28th July 2017.

The site is a Protected Employment Area in the adopted Core Strategy.  DPDS successfully argued that employment development would not be viable on the site, so protecting it for employment was likely to be futile, the employment protection policy is out of date and, as a residential development on the site would be sustainable it should be approved in the context of paragraphs 14 and 22 of the NPPF.

DPDS also made a strong case that West Berkshire could not demonstrate an adequate five year housing land supply, but the Inspector felt able to allow the appeal without considering this issue.  We feel that our five year housing land supply argument was robust, and we would be happy to advise other developers keen to make a similar argument.

The appeal decision can be found here

Please contact us if you would like more information.