- Decision
- allowed, 9 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: Alexander O'Doherty
- Authority
- West Berkshire (South East)
- Appeal reference
- 6011886
- Application reference
- 26/00191/FUL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- s73 variation of approved plans for agricultural barn — revised layout (office, welfare, kitchen), external stair, glazing
- Site context
- open countryside, national landscape
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- N4(1)
- Development plan policies
- West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023-2041 SP2, SP7, SP8, DM35
- Main issues
- agricultural need; character and appearance
Summary
Revised plans for an approved barn in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, adding office, kitchen, a stair and glazing. Allowed. The Inspector gave "substantial weight" to NL conservation under N4(1) and found the effect neutral (DL ¶17). The Framework raised no new determinative matters (DL ¶4).
What made the difference
The Council did not rebut the agricultural consultant's addendum on need (DL ¶9). The additions were set back, so the barn kept its utilitarian look (DL ¶¶13–14).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| N4(1) | neutral | substantial | substantial weight given to conserving North Wessex Downs NL; alterations only experienced locally, tree-screened — neutral effect, natural beauty conserved (DL 17-18) |
| DP3 | pass | set-back glazing and stair keep utilitarian form; not domesticated (DL 12-14) | |
| E4 | pass | unrebutted agricultural appraisal addendum — revised layout still meets agricultural need (plan DM35) (DL 7-10) |
Key facts
- No-residential-use condition retained; portacabin removal condition tightened
- Separate costs decision issued
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.