- Decision
- dismissed, 22 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: Lewis Condé
- Authority
- Cornwall (South West)
- Appeal reference
- 6006078
- Application reference
- PA25/01031
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Detached agricultural barn and hardstanding for storing arable crops, supplements and nutrients, away from the existing farm group
- Site context
- open countryside
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- S5(1)(a), DP3(1)
- Development plan policies
- Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030 Policies 1, 2, 5, 12, 23, Climate Emergency DPD C1.7
- Main issues
- character and appearance; locational/business need
Summary
A new agricultural storage barn in an open field in Cornwall, away from the farmer's existing yard. Dismissed. The barn would spread built form into an uncluttered rolling landscape, and no operational need was evidenced. The inspector expressly tested the scheme against the 2026 Framework's outside-settlements test. Agriculture is supported, but only where the benefits are not "substantially outweighed" by adverse effects, and here they were (DL ¶22-23).
Issues and findings
- Character. "it would extend built form away from the appellant's existing group of farm buildings ... diminishing the openness of the field" (DL ¶6). "Although public viewpoints would be limited, that does not mean the development would be without harm" (DL ¶7).
- Need. Local Policy 5 is "broadly consistent with national policy and I afford it significant weight" (DL ¶11). "neither an overriding locational need nor an overriding business need ... has been demonstrated" (DL ¶17).
- Framework test. "The Framework supports certain forms of development outside settlements ... but that support is subject to the benefits of doing so not being substantially outweighed by adverse effects ... those benefits are modest and are substantially outweighed by the identified adverse effects" (DL ¶22-23).
Planning balance
Plan-led (s38(6)), cross-checked against the S5(1) proviso. Benefits of modest weight (food production, fewer vehicle trips, construction) against localised but clearly adverse landscape harm and unproven need.
What made the difference
Siting apart from the existing farm group, together with a thin evidence base on need. The inspector counted "absence of a demonstrated ... need" as an adverse effect in the S5 balance (DL ¶23). That is a notable step, because S5(1)(a) itself does not require need to be shown for agriculture.
Transferable points
- A use listed in S5(1)(a) (agriculture) still fails the S5 proviso where localised landscape harm substantially outweighs modest, unquantified benefits (DL ¶22-23).
- A local-plan "overriding need" requirement for rural business buildings was held broadly consistent with the 2026 Framework and given significant weight (DL ¶11).
- Limited public visibility does not mean no landscape harm (DL ¶7).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| S5(1)(a) | fail | agriculture is a listed S5(1) use, but the inspector applied the S5(1) proviso: modest benefits "substantially outweighed" by localised but clearly adverse landscape harm and lack of demonstrated need (DL 22-23); limb not named in letter, mapped by harvester | |
| DP3(1) | fail | extends built form away from the farm group into an open field in character area CCA25; bund would be an artificial landform (DL 4-8); decided via local Policies 12/23; DP3(3) not invoked; code mapped by harvester | |
| E4 | neutral | Framework positive about rural economy but local Policy 5 (overriding locational/business need) "broadly consistent" and given significant weight; need not evidenced (DL 11-17); code mapped by harvester |
Key facts
- Three existing barns at the farm group; no evidence of storage requirement, crop yields or why existing yard could not be expanded (DL 12-16)
- Bridleway conflicts at the existing yard would continue anyway (DL 14)
- Parties consulted on the 2026 Framework (DL 2)
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.