# Priors Court Farm, Rudge Lane, Beckington

- **Decision:** allowed, 21 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: C Cooper-Young
- **Authority:** Somerset (South West)
- **Appeal reference:** 6009739
- **Application reference:** 2026/0437/PAA
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Class Q prior approval, agricultural barns C and D to 6 dwellings (with extension to Barn D)
- **Homes:** 6
- **Site context:** open-countryside, listed-building-setting
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** GPDO Sch2 Pt3 Class Q.1(p), GPDO Sch2 Pt3 Class Q.2(1)(a)
- **Development plan policies:** Somerset Countywide Parking Strategy
- **Main issues:** suitable existing access, transport impacts, location/siting (noise)
- **Tags:** tier-2, class-q, prior-approval, parties-consulted-on-2026-framework

## Summary
Class Q prior approval for six dwellings in two barns was granted. The existing 4.8m access was suitable, transport impacts were acceptable, and a neighbouring storage barn conditioned against livestock would not make the conversion undesirable.

## What made the difference
The council had already accepted residential conversion of Barns A and B, and the neighbouring Barn E was already restricted by condition. Q.1(p)'s "suitable existing access" was read as meaning fit for normal day-to-day residential use (DL ¶12).

## Policy findings
- **GPDO Class Q para Q.1(p): pass.** existing 4.8m access with good visibility is "suitable existing access" (5m local standard) (DL 12-16)
- **TR6: pass.** code mapped by harvester — Q.2(1)(a): no harm to highway safety nor "severe residual cumulative impacts" (DL 17-20); Framework relevant via GPDO para W.10(b) (DL 5)
- **P4: pass.** code mapped by harvester — Q.2(1)(e) neighbouring Barn E conditioned to hay/machinery storage only; limited farm activity; not impractical or undesirable (DL 21-26)

## Key facts
- Barns A and B already have conversion consents (DL 21)
- Mells Valley SAC Bat Consultation Zone C; Reg 75 Habitats condition applied (DL 27)
- Parties consulted on 2026 Framework (DL 4)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6009739
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/bed2220e-4e91-455b-a2ab-43bf8382316b

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6009739.html

A summary of a public planning decision, written from the decision letter. Not legal advice. © Planning Distilled. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): share and adapt freely, with credit to Planning Distilled. Quotations from decision letters, plans and the Framework remain the copyright of their publishers.