Erection of an Agricultural barn in a designated ‘Local Gap’

Overcoming a History of Refused Planning Applications

The Brief

Our client proposed to build an agricultural barn on his land to store hay and machinery but had previously been refused planning permission. The application was refused because the site was positioned within a ‘Local Gap’. Areas as designated as ‘Local Gaps’ to try to prevent the joining of settlements by restricting development within them.

The Local Planning Officer had stated that the barn ‘in excess of that reasonably required for its intended use and therefore not necessary at the size proposed’.

Atlas Planning Group were instructed to take on the case.

Our Solution

We re-submitted the application arguing that Officers had misinterpreted their policy wording and applied the much more rigid test of whether the size proposed was ‘essential’ rather than ‘necessary’. We further highlighted that Eastleigh Borough Council’s emerging Local Plan policies and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) contained no such test. We further demonstrated that the barn had been sensitively sited to ensure that views of it were not possible from the wider landscape.

On receipt of our arguments, the Council granted the application

Project Success

Despite their initial concerns and the previous refusal, on receipt of our arguments, the Local Planning Authority granted the application.