- Decision
- dismissed, 19 August 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: AJ Sutton
- Authority
- Stroud (South West)
- Appeal reference
- 6004495
- Application reference
- S.25/2245/AGR
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Prior approval (GPDO Sch 2 Part 6 Class A) for extension of an agricultural storage barn
- Site context
- open countryside, national landscape
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- No Framework version cited
- Determinative policies
- GPDO Sch2 Pt6 Class A(a)
- Main issues
- permitted development; reasonable necessity for agriculture
Summary
A Part 6 agricultural prior approval for extending a barn on a roughly 48 ha holding in the Cotswolds National Landscape. Dismissed because the development was not permitted development. With three large barns already there, "reasonable necessity" for more storage was not shown (DL ¶17). The Framework does not apply to a question of GPDO eligibility, and the letter does not cite it.
What made the difference
Existing covered capacity, and a lack of evidence about the business. "the existing provision of farm buildings could negate the reasonable need for yet more similar buildings for a unit" unless necessity is evidenced (DL ¶11).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPDO Sch2 Pt6 Class A(a) | fail | agricultural unit of about 48.4 ha accepted, but "reasonable necessity has not been proven": three large existing barns give ample covered storage; "tipping point at which the provision of storage could be disproportionate" (DL 7-17) |
Key facts
- Three sizeable existing barns on the holding; little evidence of the agricultural business supplied
- Council alleged an unauthorised log business; not determinative (DL 19)
- Costs application made; separate decision
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.