- Decision
- allowed, 10 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: James Hills
- Authority
- Somerset (South West)
- Appeal reference
- 6007678
- Application reference
- 03/24/0003/CQ
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Class Q prior approval for conversion of agricultural building to a dwelling
- Homes
- 1
- Site context
- open countryside
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- No Framework version cited
- Determinative policies
- GPDO Sch2 Pt3 para W(11)
- Main issues
- deemed prior approval
Summary
A Class Q barn conversion in Somerset. Allowed on procedure alone: the council missed the 56-day period by more than a year, so prior approval was deemed granted. The inspector stressed that nothing in the decision confirms the proposal is permitted development (DL ¶7). No Framework content.
What made the difference
The council's missed deadline. The merits were never reached.
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 Pt3 para W(11) 56-day period | pass | council decided 13 months after receipt; prior approval deemed granted; no finding on whether Class Q is otherwise met (2020 GPDO version under transitional arrangements) (DL 4-7) |
Key facts
- Application received 6 Nov 2024, decision 9 Dec 2025 (DL 5)
- Separate LDC appeal pending on the same proposal (DL 7)
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.