Land At Os 382777 278875 Mill Lane Wolverley Kidderminster Worcestershire

1. 1.The development does not fall into any of the exceptions contained within Paragraph 154 of the NPPF or Policy DM.22 of the Wyre Forest District Local Plan. The Local Planning Authority does not consider the site to constitute previously developed land as defined by the NPPF, because whilst the site contains an unauthorised building being used for domestic storage, two containers and hardstanding, it should not be assumed that the whole of the predominantly greenfield site is previously developed land or forms the curtilage of such previously developed land (or that the unlawfully retained or sited structures on the site can be used to claim a previously developed land exception). Paragraph 154(g) of the NPPF is therefore not considered to be engaged. The development would result in an intensification of the use of the land and the likely spread of domestic paraphernalia across an otherwise open, agricultural land parcel in the Green Belt. The proposal would therefore constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt and harm the openness of the Green Belt spatially and visually. No other considerations are considered to constitute very special circumstances that would outweigh this harm to the Green Belt as a result of the inappropriate form of development proposed. The proposal is therefore considered contrary to Policy DM.22 of the Wyre Forest District Local Plan and Paragraph 153 of the NPPF.
2. 2.The proposal would result in the development of an open, Riverside Meadow land parcel, threatening the low-intensity, pastoral character of the landscape as identified in the Worcestershire Landscape Character Assessment (2012). The form of development proposed would result in an intensification in use of the land and the likely spread of domestic paraphernalia that would conflict with the prevailing, open landscape character, and the proposal is therefore considered to conflict with Policy SP.22 of the Wyre Forest District Local Plan and Paragraph 187(b) of the NPPF.
3. 3.The proposal would result in the change of use of an agricultural building and the creation of an oversized domestic curtilage that would fail to respect the prevailing area character and would break with the established grain and scale of residential plots in the vicinity. The corresponding suburbanisation and domestication of the site would be detrimental to local distinctiveness and the rural, open character of the area, and the proposal is therefore considered to conflict with Policy SP.20 and DM.24 of the Wyre Forest District Local Plan and the NPPF.

From the council's decision notice.

Date validated

5 March 2026