Planning Inspector allows the application
1 December 2023
Following two refusals by Wiltshire Council and two refusals by the Planning Inspector, the applicant got third time lucky. The planning inspector for the third public inquiry has allowed the application.
Click here for the Inspectors report.
The story so far:
- March 2018: Wiltshire Council refuses the application. Beechcroft Land appeal the decision
- February 2020 – The Planning Inspector holds a Public Inquiry
- April 2020: The Planning Inspector finds against the appellant and dismisses the appeal
- November 2020: Beechcroft land reapply for planning permission with largely the same application other than two houses fewer (79 versus 81)
- April 2021: Wiltshire Council refused the application. Beechcroft Land appeal the decision
- February 2023: Second appeal hearing held
- July 2023: The Planning Inspector dismisses the appeal again
- July 2023: Beechcroft land challenges the dismissal in the High Court – the court orders that the appeal be re-determined
- October 2023: Third appeal hearing held
- November 2023: The Planning Inspector allows the application.
Date set for re-determination of second Purton Road appeal
14 September 2023
A date (4 October) has been set for the redetermination of the second appeal for this planning application. This will be the third time a planning inspector will hear this application – we can only guess how much this costs the Council Tax payer – it must run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The story so far:
- March 2018: Wiltshire Council refuses the application. Beechcroft Land appeal the decision
- February 2020 – The Planning Inspector holds a Public Inquiry
- April 2020: The Planning Inspector finds against the appellant and dismisses the appeal
- November 2020: Beechcroft land reapply for planning permission with largely the same application other than two houses fewer (79 versus 81)
- April 2021: Wiltshire Council refused the application. Beechcroft Land appeal the decision
- February 2022 – Second appeal hearing held
- July 2022: The Planning Inspector dismisses the appeal again
- July 2022: Beechcroft land challenges the dismissal in the High Court – the court orders that the appeal be re-determined
High Court challenge results in order for appeal to be re-determined
11 February 2023
Having had their appeal dismissed again by a Planning Inspector, Beechcroft Land challenged the decision in the High Court in July 2022. The Court has ordered the appeal to be re-determined. This does not necessarily mean that the Inspector will reach a different overall decision. We await the date for the new hearing.
All comments must be submitted to the Planning Inspector by 3 March 2023.
The letter we received from Wiltshire Council can be found here.
Here is a timeline of all the refusals and appeals to date:
- March 2018: Wiltshire Council refuses the application. Beechcroft land appeal the decision
- April 2020: Planning Inspector finds against the appellant and dissmisses the appeal
- November 2020: Beechcroft land reapply for planning permission with largely the same application other than two houses fewer (79 versus 81)
- April 2021: Wiltshire Council refuse the application. Beechcroft land appeal the decision
- July 2022: Planning Inspector dismisses the appeal again
- July 2022: Beechcroft land challenge the dissmissal in the High Court
Second appeal dismissed by the planning Inspector
15 July 2022
Following the second appeal by the Appellant in as many years, the planning Inspector has dismissed the application.
The report, which can be accessed here, is 12 pages long and concludes:
“There is no doubt that the appeal scheme would offer significant benefits. However, there would also be very significant harm. My judgement is that the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against Framework policy as a whole. In the circumstances of this case there are no material considerations to indicate that this decision should be made otherwise than in accordance with the development plan”.
Appeal hearing delayed
7 December 2021
The appeal hearing, originally set for 9 November, has been delayed to 1 February 2022. We are informed that the original date was not convenient for Wiltshire Council.
SRA response sent
5 October 2021
The SRA sent our response in time for the 6 October deadline. Click here to download it.
Application to build houses north of Purton Road – Beechcroft Land launch (another) appeal
5 October 2021 update – SRA response sent.
Click here for our response to this new appeal.
3 September 2021
Having had their application refused by Wiltshire in March 2018, Beechcroft Land launched an appeal. That appeal was dismissed by the Planning Inspector following the February 2020 public inquiry. Despite all these rejections, Beechcroft Land have decided to launch another appeal. For more information, click here.
Beechcroft Land launch (another) appeal
3 September 2021
Having had their application refused by Wiltshire in March 2018, Beechcroft Land launched an appeal. That appeal was dismissed by the Planning Inspector following the February 2020 public inquiry.
Beechcroft Land applied again in November 2020, with essentially the same application that was dismissed by the Planning Inspector in February of that year. Wiltshire (again) refused the application in April 2021.
Beechcroft Land have now launched another appeal (click here). The initial hearing will be held on 9th November 2021 (click here). At this hearing, the Inspector will either allow or deny the appeal. If it is allowed, then a date for a full public Inquiry will be set (i.e. the hearing is to decide whether the case can go to an Inquiry).
Beechcroft Land must present their ‘statement of case’ and comments (for or against) must be made based on that ‘statement’ by 6 October 2021. A full list of the latest documents for this case can be found on the Wiltshire planning website. The relevant documents (as of 3 September 2021) for the appeal are listed below
- Appellant appeal form
- Appellant planning statement of case
- Appellant land supply
- Appellant appendices
It is important that comments made for the 9th November hearing are relevant to the appellant’s case. The SRA will be sending its views by the 6 October deadline. We welcome your views on the appellant’s case, please send them to us via an email.
Wiltshire planners refuse the application (again)
14 April 2021
Considering the application was originally refused by Wiltshire Council back in March 2018, and then dismissed by the planning Inspector in April 2020, it would have been rather strange for Wiltshire planners to now approve the same application three years later. Thankfully, logic has prevailed and the application has yet again been refused.
The full reasons for refusal can be viewed by clicking on this link and then clicking on the ‘files’ heading.
It is, of course, likely that the applicant will seek to waste more Council tax payers money by making another appeal, which will require another public Inquiry with both Wiltshire’s and Swindon’s legal team funded by its residents through their council taxes.
If at first you do not get the answer you wanted, try, try, try again.
Applicant makes a new bid despite losing at appeal
14 November 2020
The application officially known as “Land at Purton Road, Swindon”, opposite Mouldon View (click here 20/10523/OUT) is back. Comments are required by Thursday, 28 January 2021.
The only obvious difference to the application that was rejected on appeal is that they are asking for 79 houses rather than 81.
The SRA will be making an objection. Meanwhile, if you have strong views in this application please make them known via the above link.
Planning Inspector Dismisses Application
7 April 2020
Following Inquiry during January and February of this year, the planning Inspector has dismissed the appellant’s application to build these houses. The full report can be viewed here.
The efforts of Purton Parish Council should be commended as it is their Neighbourhood plan that took a leading role in the dismissal of this application. The report states:
- “…the allocations [in our Plan] are made to accommodate necessary growth in line with local aspirations for the village and to support a plan-led approach to development in recognition of the significant development pressures in the area”;
- “The community has gone to significant effort to plan positively for its neighbourhood area. The proposed development would deliver housing that is clearly not anticipated or sought by the NP.”; and
- “I conclude that the appeal site is not located in an area supported by the development plan”.
The Inspector sums up: “The proposal is clearly in conflict with the development plan ….which includes a carefully considered and positively prepared neighbourhood plan, is sufficient in itself to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits identified…”
Public Inquiry planned for 4 February 2020.
8 January 2020 – updated 24 January 2020
The Inquiry that was thought to have occurred in January 2019 was postponed. It seems that the developer had not provided any wildlife surveys (bats, otters etc.) and so the Inspector had no choice but to postponed the event.
The Planning Inspectors website did not make this clear. Therefore, we thought we were waiting on a decision!
The new date for the Inquiry is February 4 2020. Full details are available in this document.
All documents for the Inquiry can be found here.
9 February 2019: all documents used during the Inquiry can be viewed by clicking here
3 November 2018: Inquiry date set for 29 January 2019 – click here for notification
17 June 2018: The applicant, Beechcroft Land Ltd. have lodged an appeal against the refusal decision.
No date has yet been set for the Inquiry.
The deadline for comments is 26 July 2018.
It will require both Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council to develop strong legal and policy arguments to counter this appeal. Members of the public can help by writing en-mass to the planning Inspectorate. Letters must be sent in triplicate direct to the Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/10b Kite Wing, 2 The Square, Temple Quay House, Bristol BS1 6PN, quoting the Inspectorate reference (APP/Y3940/W/18/3202551).
Or you can lodge your comments by going to the planning Inspectorate website by clicking here.
and searching on 3202551
The notification of planning public inquiry can be downloaded here.
17 July 2018: SRA representation sent
3 March 2018: The application has been refused – click here for the Wiltshire Council refusal notice
The application can be viewed on Wiltshire planning portal by clicking here
SRA objection sent – click here to read it
Yet more houses on land between West and North Swindon. The developers are back with a proposal to Wiltshire Council for 81 dwellings opposite the recently built Moulden View development – to the north of Purton Road in the dip past the railway line.
And again, because the site is in Wiltshire, the developers play on its location within Purton Parish area and downplay the fact that this in effect an extension of Swindon with all the consequent pressures it will bring, not least the impact on traffic flows within West and North Swindon.
The SRA believes this application must be resisted for the following reasons:
- It is not part of Swindon or Wiltshire Local plans, and it is not part of Purton’s neighbourhood plan
- We believe the junction onto Purton road will add dangers to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists
- The additional traffic entering and leaving the site would create even more rush-hour chaos
- If built, it would destroy forever the possibility of a railway station from West Swindon into the town centre
- The field floods
- The current public footpath that runs along the north of Purton road will be disrupted
