# Mollen Farm, Edgarley Road, Glastonbury (Class E commercial units)

- **Decision:** allowed, 21 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: H Smith
- **Authority:** Somerset (South West)
- **Appeal reference:** 6008318
- **Application reference:** 2024/2311/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Two Dutch-barn-style buildings with six Class E units (light industrial, offices, food and drink, fitness/recreation) in a field outside development limits
- **Site context:** open-countryside, listed-building-setting, valued-landscape
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** s38(6), HE6
- **Development plan policies:** Mendip Local Plan Part 1 2014 CP1, CP3, CP4, DP1, DP4, DP7
- **Main issues:** suitability of location, character and appearance and heritage setting
- **Tags:** tier-2, rural-economy, plan-led, heritage-neutral, s5-not-applied

## Summary
Six small Class E units in the countryside near Glastonbury were allowed. The scheme complied with the local plan's rural-economy policies (CP3/CP4), and the inspector found a neutral effect on the settings of Glastonbury Tor and the Grade I church tower (DL ¶11, ¶23). The revised Framework is noted (DL ¶3), but the letter never tests the scheme against S5's outside-settlement list or E4.

## What made the difference
The site is low-lying and screened, and the Dutch-barn form sits against the school campus backdrop in long views from the Tor (DL ¶17-21). It is a plan-led approval. Contrast the strict S5(1)(b) treatment of rural business in other appeals.

## Policy findings
- **E4: pass.** local plan CP3/CP4 rural-economy support met; the letter does not run S5 or E4 by code (DL 6-11)
- **HE6: neutral.** neutral effect on settings of Grade I St Michael's Church Tower and Glastonbury Tor scheduled monument; long views against the school campus backdrop (DL 12-24)

## Key facts
- Low-lying field corner next to Mollen Farm and the Millfield Junior School campus; mature hedges screen it (DL 5, 18-19)
- Within the Glastonbury Tor special landscape feature (DP4) (DL 12)
- [object Object]

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6008318
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/950a887c-605c-49c3-81df-9b29e1fbb9bc

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6008318.html

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