Public Inquiry – s78 Planning Appeal – Mere, Wiltshire, 2018

 

Client: Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
LPA: Wiltshire Council
Appellant: Richborough Estates

 

Provision of expert landscape planning advice including submission of written and oral evidence to the Inquiry on behalf of CPRE who were third party objectors to the proposed development of 130 houses on a greenfield site to the west of the historic town of Mere.

Key issues included impact on the rural landscape and on the character, identity, landscape setting, and cultural and historic assets of the settlement and its environs. The case presented by CPRE was supported by the Inspector and the appeal was dismissed.

The Inspector agreed that the harm to the character of the landscape and to the setting of designated heritage assets that would have resulted from the development was of critical importance, and outweighed the benefits of housing provision.