Land West Of Silver Moor Lane Banwell BS29 6LQ

1. 1.The application site is in an area at risk from flooding and the application does not demonstrate that the proposal passes the Sequential Test and the first part of the Exception Test set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Local Planning Authority is not, therefore, satisfied that there are no alternative sites in the area that are reasonably available for development and have a lower probability of flooding, or that the proposal would provide wider sustainability benefits to the community that outweigh the flood risk. The proposed development is, therefore, considered to be at an unacceptable and avoidable risk of flooding, contrary to policy CS3 of the North Somerset Core Strategy, policy DM1 of the North Somerset Sites and Policies Plan (Part 1) and, the National Planning Policy Framework (and the associated Planning Practice Guidance).
2. 2.The site is considered to have potential to be used by protected species, notably lesser horseshoe bats. Insufficient information has been provided to enable the Local Planning Authority to establish whether the proposal will result in a significant negative ecology impact on a statutory designated site North Somerset and Mendip Bats Special Area of Conservation (SAC). As such, satisfactorily mitigation measures have not been provided to ensure that the proposed development would not have a significant adverse effect on the qualifying features of the SAC. The proposed development is therefore contrary to Policy CS4 of the Core Strategy, Policy DM8 of the Sites and Policies Plan (Part 1) and the North Somerset and Mendip Bats SAC Guidance on Development SPD.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

BS29 6LQ

Parish

Banwell

Date validated

1 September 2025

Applicant

Private applicant

Case officer

Jason Mak