Planning permission granted on appeal for…

An Inspector has allowed a section 78 appeal and granted outline planning permission for a 12-hectare. logistics park near Junction 1 of the M50, Twyning, delivering up to 33,329 sq m of B8 floorspace (Appeal Ref: 6003077, decision dated 29 June 2026).

The scheme was a significant extension to a designated rural business centre. Only around 14% of the site fell within the Rural Business Centre allocation. The remainder lay in open countryside, and the proposal was contrary to the development plan. Tewkesbury Borough Council's Planning Committee had refused the application against officer advice, but the Council withdrew its objection to the scheme when the Inquiry opened.

The decision contains several points of interest for those promoting logistics schemes, particularly on the application of the tilted balance. The Inspector found paragraph 11(d) engaged because:

First reason

First, the employment land strategy in the Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy did not reflect important principles and policies in the NPPF with respect to logistics operations [DL§63, §65]. The development plan had been prepared against the 2012 Framework and failed to reflect the current Framework's emphasis on the needs of a modern economy, including the identification of suitable locations for freight and logistics [DL§36–§40].

Second reason

Second, and in any event, the Inspector found the development plan to be "chronically underperforming" [DL§70] and failing to deliver even its own out-of-date employment land requirements [DL§64]. There was found to be "a significant unmet need for logistics and employment floorspace in the plan area", alongside "a more widespread issue of suppressed demand, particularly for buildings up to around 10,000sq m" [DL§39], with the shortfall estimated as high as 136 hectares by the end of the plan period.

Applying the tilted balance, the Inspector concluded that the adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, to which substantial weight was attached, including the delivery of B8 employment land and significant economic and employment benefits.

Press coverage can be found on the BBC.

George Mackenzie acted for the developer and was instructed by Conor Flanagan of Black Box Planning. Heather Sargent acted for the developer at an earlier stage. Luke Wilcox acted for the LPA.

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