# Land at OS 0837 3879, Pennylands Bank, Broadway (1 dwelling PIP) - **Decision:** refused, 14 September 2026 - **Decided by:** Council officer (delegated): Victoria Finch (case officer); authorised Clare Bull - **Authority:** Wychavon (West Midlands) - **Application reference:** W/26/01874/PIP - **Procedure:** delegated - **Development:** Permission in principle for one dwelling on an agricultural field - **Homes:** 1 - **Site context:** open-countryside, rural-lane, near-station - **Green Belt:** no - **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF - **Determinative policies:** S3, S5(1)(e), S5(1)(h), S5(4), DP3 - **Development plan policies:** South Worcestershire Development Plan Review 2026 SWDPR03, SWDPR06, SWDPR28, SWDPR34 - **Main issues:** S5 categories, well-connected station, infill, sustainable location, landscape - **Tags:** PIP, small-scheme, station-route-h, s5-4-exceptional, sustainable-location-fail, rural-lane-no-footway, five-year-supply-met, infill-rejected ## Summary A single-dwelling PIP on a field at Pennylands Bank, between Broadway and Childswickham. The applicant relied on S5(1)(e) infilling. The officer also tested the new station limb, S5(1)(h). The site is within walking distance of Broadway station, but the station fails the Annex B "well-connected" definition. With no S5 category met and a five-year supply, the scheme fell to S5(4) and was refused. ## Issues and findings - **Infill, S5(1)(e): FAIL.** "it is not considered that the development would be infill development within a group of houses as there are no existing houses directly adjoining the application site. There is one house opposite the site … however this is also not within a group of houses" (Report, Location). - **Station, S5(1)(h): FAIL.** "Whilst the application site is considered to be within reasonable walking distance (less than 800m) from Broadway Station, the station does not meet the definition of 'well-connected' as set out in Annexe B of the NPPF as there are less than 2 trains an hour and the service does not operate on Mondays or Fridays" (Location). - **S5(4).** "the principle of residential development in this location is not supported unless the benefits would substantially outweigh the adverse effects. The benefits in this instance would be very modest" (Location). - **Location, TR3: FAIL (despite no highways objection).** "Pennylands Bank is a 40mph road without any footpath … Access is also constrained by the absence of street lighting and crossing points … whilst future occupants would likely have to rely heavily on private cars for day-to-day journeys, it is noted that County Highways have no objection" (Locational Sustainability). ## Planning balance A plan-led s38(6) conclusion within S3 and S5(4): "there are no material considerations of sufficient weight to justify a departure from the development plan" (Conclusion). ## What made the difference No S5 category applied. The (h) limb failed on service frequency. The station's timetable (at least 2 trains an hour in one direction, or 4 overall, every weekday daytime) is a binary test, not a matter of judgement. ## Transferable points - S5(1)(h) and GB7(1)(h) need a station that meets the Annex B service standard. Distance alone is not enough, and heritage or low-frequency lines fail. - A single house opposite does not make a "group of houses" for S5(1)(e). - A highway authority's no-objection does not settle TR3 locational sustainability. The officer still found heavy car reliance. ## Policy findings - **S5(1)(e): fail.** not "limited infilling within groups of houses", since no houses directly adjoin and the one house opposite is not itself in a group - **S5(1)(h): fail.** within 800 m of Broadway station, but the station is not "well-connected" under Annex B (under 2 trains an hour; no Monday or Friday service) - **S5(4): fail.** benefits "very modest"; not exceptional - **TR3: fail.** 40 mph roads, no footway on Pennylands Bank, no crossing point, no lighting; bus stop under 100 m away but services limited; heavy reliance on the car, although County Highways did not object - **DP3: fail.** would increase the dispersal of settlement, contrary to the landscape character guideline to "retain pattern of strongly nucleated villages" ## Key facts - About 0.7 km from the Broadway development boundary and 0.52 km from Childswickham (Category 4, no boundary) - Broadway station is under 800 m away, but the service is fewer than 2 trains an hour and does not run on Mondays or Fridays - Five-year supply with a 20% buffer (July 2026 report) - First school about 1.7 miles; Co-op about 1.1 miles ## Sources - https://plan.wychavon.gov.uk/Planning/Display/W/26/01874/PIP - https://plan.wychavon.gov.uk/Document/Download?module=PLA&recordNumber=120450&planId=3254715&imageId=36&isPlan=False&fileName=delegated%20report_W2601874PIP.pdf --- Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/wychavon-W-26-01874-PIP.html A summary of a public planning decision, written from the officer report. 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