Gravel Farm, 250 Gravel Lane, Banks

6011231·West Lancashire·15 Sept 2026allowed·2026/0042/FUL

Tier label used

Key Sustainable Village

The tier sentence ¶9

“is identified in the LP as a ‘Key Sustainable Village.’”

The route sentence ¶14

“the distance to the nearest services and facilities in Banks would mean that future occupiers of the proposed dwelling would be largely reliant on the private car to meet their day-to-day needs”

Summary

Conversion of two former agricultural barns in a small roadside group in the West Lancashire Green Belt into one self-build dwelling and a garage. Allowed. The Council accepted the scheme was not inappropriate, citing the 2024 para 154 exceptions. The only harm was car reliance for daily needs, and under S5(5) that did not substantially outweigh the substantial weight given to housing (HO7) and to reusing buildings (L2(1)). The Council paid partial costs for failing to disclose the appeal decisions it had relied on.

The location finding

TR3: harm. bus every 2 hours nearby and half-hourly further away via lit pavements, but daily needs likely by car; conflict with LP SP1/GN3, no conflict with TR3(1)(e) (DL 11-15, 31)

Why this is cited

Key Sustainable Village 1 km away acknowledged; continuous pavement but "limited access to local services" still a harm; allowed via another route. In the register this counts as a case where the tier was acknowledged but the route evidence went against the site and decided the location.

Sources

Decision on the Planning Inspectorate appeals service · full decision note · letter pins-corpus/6011231.txt

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