Land at Whitlocks, Bishopstone, Wiltshire

1. 1.The proposed development, by reason of its unsustainable location within the open countryside beyond the established pattern of development at Bishopstone, would represent an unjustified expansion of residential development into the countryside, resulting in the consolidation of sporadic development, the erosion of the village's loose-knit settlement pattern and the loss of an important open rural break between existing residential clusters, contrary to the spatial strategy of the Development Plan. Furthermore, the introduction of nine dwellings and associated domestic development within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape would urbanise a currently open site, resulting in harm to the character, appearance and natural beauty of the designated landscape. The site is also located where future occupiers would be heavily reliant on private motor vehicles to access employment, services and facilities, failing to promote sustainable patterns of development. As such, the proposal is contrary to Core Policies 1, 2, 43, 44, 51, 57, 60 and 61 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, Policies S3, S5, N4, HO7, HO10 and TR3 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2026), and the statutory duty under Section 85A(1) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to seek to further the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the National Landscapes.
2. 2.In the absence of a completed S106 Legal Agreement or Unilateral Undertaking, the proposal fails to mitigate against its direct impacts and does not, therefore, satisfy the provisions of Policy CP3 (Infrastructure requirements) of the Council's adopted Core Strategy (January 2015), the councils adopted planning obligations DPD and the guidance given in the NPPF regarding planning obligations and the provision of sustainable development which mitigates its impacts, in respect of the following: • The provision of 40% affordable housing as required by Core Policy CP43 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy; • A contribution towards bus stop improvements to meet the requirements of Core Policy CP62 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy; •A provision to secure the necessary biodiversity net gain and New Forest SPA monitoring contributions to meet the requirements of Core Policy CP50 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy; • A contribution towards the upkeeping of the Public Right of Way to meet the requirements of Core Policies CP51 and CP52 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy; • A monitoring fee for the agreement as required by Core Policy CP3 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

From the council's decision notice.

Application type

Full planning permission

Scale / size

Medium

Parish

Bishopstone CP

Date validated

13 February 2026

Consultation expiry

26 March 2026

Consultation end

26 March 2026

Target decision date

15 May 2026

Case officer

Joe Richardson

Statutory period

91 days

Documents

46