Commercial storage and light industry at Unit 1 - Rear of 1 West View, Stockley

Earlier applications

Three earlier applications were withdrawn, while a certificate application for commercial use was refused in January 2024.

“Proposal / Summary 19/11237/FUL - Change of use from agricultural buildings to B1 light industrial and storage use (Retrospective) – Withdrawn 20 January 2020 20/06416/FUL - Change of use from agricultural buildings to B1 storage – Withdrawn 29 September 2020 20/08538/CLE - Certificate of Lawfulness for the Existing Use of Former Agricultural Site as Storage and HGV Parking – Withdrawn 20 January 2022 PL/2023/07923 - Certificate of Lawfulness for the use of agricultural…”

Officer report

Council and parish views

Highways, arboriculture and public protection officers raised no objections, economic development supported the proposal, and the parish council had no objection.

“Other Relevant Policies and Documents: • Wiltshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2026, adopted 2015 - including the Car Parking Strategy and Cycling Strategy, adopted 2015 6 Summary of consultation responses 6.1 The following is a summary of consultation responses. Comments in full are published online. WC Arboriculture: No objection WC Highways: No objection…”

“WC Economic Development: Support • Currently a shortage of commercial units in Wiltshire and unlikely to change in the medium term; • Economic Development have been engaging with farming communities to ascertain the availability of unused agricultural buildings to be brought forward for commercial use to help economic growth in the county; • Unit have been in continuous use for some considerable time, providing valuable source of income for the farm and provision of building…”

Officer report

Public views

Twenty-two comments raised concerns including noise, privacy, traffic, landscape, flooding and ecology, while some comments supported the existing use.

“Third party comments: Twenty-two comments as summarised below…”

“Objections • Loss of amenity due to noise impacts, and light pollution • Impact on privacy and overlooking • Impact on highways safety and parking • Impacts on rural character of the area, design • Impacts on protected landscape, visual amenity • Impacts on environment, air quality, water quality • Impacts on ecology of area • Flooding and drainage issues • Impacts to Morgans Hill, a SSSI • Increase in crime from industrial activities • Fire hazards/risks • Conflict of…”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objector spoke against the application and two supporters spoke in favour.

Members’ discussion

Members asked about possible decisions, the return date and reviewing conditions after officers reported additional correspondence.

“The Planning Officer reported that since the original report had been published, additional correspondence had been received which required a review of suggested conditions. Officers recommended deferral to allow officers time to obtain additional information from the applicant and to undertake review of conditions in consultation with Council Highways and Enforcement Officers before the application is brought back before committee.”

“Members of the committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of officers, and the following matters were raised:”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee deferred the application until February 2026 so conditions could be reviewed for a robust and legally compliant decision.

“Cllr Gavin Grant, seconded by Cllr Howard Greenman, proposed that the planning application be deferred, in order to review conditions to ensure that a robust and legally compliant decision can be made by the Council.”

“That the planning application be deferred until the next Committee meeting in February 2026, in order to review conditions to ensure that a robust and legally compliant decision can be made by the Council.”

Minutes