# Emmaus School, School Lane, Staverton

- **Decision:** allowed, 9 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: E Worley
- **Authority:** Wiltshire (South West)
- **Appeal reference:** 6010036
- **Application reference:** PL/2026/00464
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Retrospective 2m bow-top fence and 3m mesh security fence around school MUGA
- **Site context:** settlement-edge
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** HE7(2)
- **Development plan policies:** Wiltshire Core Strategy 2015 CP57, CP58, Wiltshire Design Guide 2024
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, NDHA
- **Tags:** tier-2, retrospective, ndha, old-heritage-wording, heritage-harm-outweighed

## Summary
Retrospective school security fencing next to a Victorian school that is a non-designated heritage asset. The Inspector found no harm to character but some harm to the NDHA's significance through its setting. Applying HE7(2), "the benefits are of considerable weight which outweigh the less than substantial harm" (DL ¶12). Allowed.

## What made the difference
Safeguarding and highway-safety benefits of enclosing the only play area, against modest significance and harm limited to part of the views (DL ¶¶11–12). Note that the Inspector kept the 2024 "less than substantial" label for NDHA harm, although neither the 2024 nor the 2026 Framework uses that category for NDHAs (DL ¶¶11, 17).

## Policy findings
- **HE7(2): harm.** 3m fence interrupts views of Victorian school (NDHA of "modest significance"); harm called "less than substantial" (DL 9-11)
- **HE7(2): benefit (considerable weight).** safe secure play area, balls kept off roads, supports PE and community use; outweighs harm (DL 12)
- **DP3: pass.** lightweight, recessive colour, common at schools; no harm to character (DL 7-8)

## Key facts
- 3m black mesh fence encloses the school's only outdoor play area
- Host Victorian Bath-stone school is a non-designated heritage asset

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/a48e45b9-2a46-4462-ac2f-b32c69050b4c
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6010036

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