# Land beside 43 Westminster Road, Worcester (1 dwelling)

- **Decision:** dismissed, 21 August 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: K Townend
- **Authority:** Worcester (West Midlands)
- **Appeal reference:** 6010271
- **Application reference:** 25/00909/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** New dwelling in the side gap of a semi-detached house, forming a short terrace
- **Homes:** 1
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** DP3, S4
- **Development plan policies:** South Worcestershire Development Plan Review 2026 SWDPR 28, SWDPR 35
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, living conditions, biodiversity net gain
- **Tags:** design-refusal, bng, transitional-no-consultation, small-scheme, s4-substantially-outweighed, tier-2

## Summary
A new house in the side gap of a 1950s-style estate corner in Worcester was dismissed. It would erode one of the repeated "designed gaps" that give the estate its openness, overlook a neighbour's garden, and it had no BNG baseline (DL ¶10-21).

## What made the difference
The gap's role in the estate's layout (DL ¶10). With a five-year supply now shown, one dwelling's limited benefits were "substantially outweigh[ed]" (DL ¶23).

## Policy findings
- **DP3: fail.** loss of a designed gap at a corner, eroding the rhythm and openness of the estate; SWDPR 28 conflict (DL 10-14)
- **P3: fail.** rear first-floor window overlooks garden of No 45; SWDPR 35 conflict (DL 15-18)
- **S4: fail.** limited benefits of one home "substantially outweigh[ed]" by character harm (DL 23)

## Key facts
- Not re-consulted: the revised Framework was "significantly different" but the pertinent wording unchanged (DL 4)
- No baseline habitat assessment, so the statutory 10% BNG could not be shown (DL 19-21)
- Council shows 5-year supply after SWDPR adoption (DL 22)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6010271
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/a9c63b8f-0fa4-4fee-b2e2-dd6b31354ef7

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6010271.html

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