- Decision
- allowed, 17 August 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: K Winnard
- Authority
- Bromsgrove (West Midlands)
- Appeal reference
- 6010859
- Application reference
- 25/01389/FUL
- Procedure
- householder
- Development
- Enlargement of an approved detached garage (approved under 22/01089/FUL and a 2020 permission)
- Site context
- green belt, open countryside
- Green Belt
- Yes (grey belt not argued)
- Framework applied
- December 2024 NPPF (transitional)
- Determinative policies
- GB6(2)
- Development plan policies
- Bromsgrove District Plan BDP4
- Main issues
- inappropriate development; openness; VSC
Summary
Larger replacement design for an approved detached garage at a farmhouse in the Bromsgrove Green Belt. Allowed. The appellant conceded inappropriateness, but VSC was found on the strength of an extant garage permission (a fallback of no less harm) and the benefit of moving parking off open land. The decision is dated 17 August 2026 and is reasoned on 2024-Framework wording without reference to the new Framework.
Issues and findings
- Transition. No mention of the 17 Aug 2026 Framework. The wording "the construction of new buildings is inappropriate development … unless the development falls within specified exceptions" (DL ¶4) tracks 2024 ¶154.
- Inappropriate: conceded. "The list of exceptions does not include the construction of domestic outbuildings, including garages" (DL ¶4-5).
- Openness: modest spatial, very limited visual harm (DL ¶7).
- Fallback: considerable weight. "the proposal would be no more harmful than the fallback position" (DL ¶10).
- Parking off open land: significant weight (DL ¶12).
Planning balance
GB6(2) (2024 ¶153) VSC. Substantial weight to Green Belt harm, against considerable and significant weights in favour. Clearly outweighed, so VSC exists (DL ¶13-14).
What made the difference
An extant, realistic fallback for a garage in almost the same place, and a practical benefit of getting cars off open land. Without the fallback the scheme would almost certainly have failed.
Transferable points
- A realistic fallback that is at least as harmful can carry considerable weight and, with other benefits, amount to VSC (DL ¶8-10, ¶14).
- Detached domestic garages are not within any GB7 exception (DL ¶4).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB6(2) | pass | substantial | detached domestic garage conceded inappropriate; modest spatial and very limited visual harm; VSC shown by fallback (considerable weight) plus taking parking off open land (significant weight) (DL 4-14) |
| GB7(1)(b) | not-engaged | new outbuilding, not within the exceptions; inappropriateness conceded by appellant (DL 4-5) |
Key facts
- Extant 2020 permission for extensions and a detached garage; real prospect of implementation (DL 8-9)
- Proposed garage slightly larger and taller but more in keeping with farmhouse; openness harm relative to fallback negligible (DL 10)
- Garage sized for 3 cars per Worcestershire design guide; approved garage practical for only 2, so cars would still park on open land (DL 11-12)
- Decision dated 17 Aug 2026; letter cites only "the Framework" with 2024-style wording ("construction of new buildings is inappropriate") and no reference to the new Framework or GB6/GB7 codes, so treated as decided under the 2024 Framework (inference)
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.