Hillview Farm Byre, 2C Bradford Road, Winsley, Bradford on Avon, BA15 2HL

1. 1.The site lies outside the defined settlement boundary and is located within open countryside. It is not allocated for residential development in the development plan, and the proposal does not meet any of the exception criteria set out in Core Policy
2. 2.of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. As such, the proposal represents an unjustified form of residential development in an unsustainable location, contrary to Core Policies CP1, CP2, and CP7 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and Paragraphs 2, 8, 11, and 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework. 2 The proposed development would result in the urbanisation and erosion of the open countryside that would cause demonstrable harm to local rural character and landscape setting. The proposed development would neither conserve nor enhance the natural beauty of the National Landscape and is therefore contrary to Core Policies CP51 and CP57 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and Paragraphs 135, 187 and 189 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
3. 3.The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that very special circumstances will not exist unless the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations. In this case, the other considerations in favour of the proposal would not clearly outweigh the harm identified. Therefore, the very special circumstances necessary to justify the proposal do not exist. Therefore, the development is contrary to the development plan and the Framework in particular paragraphs 142, 143, 153, 154 and 155 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
4. 4.The site is located within the Bradford on Avon Bat Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and must, therefore, be considered under the Habitat Regulations. The SAC is recognised for its national and international importance for nature conservation. Its qualifying features are its protected priority habitats and species including important populations of Bechstein’s Bats, Greater Horseshoe Bats. In this case, insufficient information has been submitted by the applicant to enable the Council to complete an Appropriate Assessment as required pursuant to the Bath & Bradford-on-Avon Bat SAC. In the absence of a favourable HRA, the application cannot be approved, since the Council cannot conclude that there would be no adverse effects on the integrity of the Bath & Bradford-on-Avon Bat SAC. The proposed development is therefore contrary to Core Policy CP50 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and paragraphs 187, 193, 194 and 195 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

BA15 2HL

Application type

Permission in Principle

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Winsley CP

Date validated

18 February 2026

Consultation expiry

23 March 2026

Consultation end

23 March 2026

Target decision date

10 April 2026

Case officer

Steven Sims

Statutory period

51 days

Documents

5