LIVESTOCK MARKET GETS THE GO AHEAD

Government Office of the South West has confirmed that the Secretary of State is not to ‘call in’ the planning application for the development of Cutcombe Livestock Market enabling the applications to be confirmed by Exmoor National Park Authority.

At the meeting in January, Members voted to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of the Market, new housing and business units. This is one of the largest applications to come before the Committee in recent years. A total of 12 of the proposed 25 new houses will be local affordable units and 13 will be for sale on the open market in order to fund the upgrading and redevelopment of the livestock market.

The current Exmoor National Park Local Plan, which was adopted in 2005, states that new build dwellings in the National Park should be for Local Needs Affordable Housing.  This means that the proposal for some open market dwellings at Cutcombe Market was outside the adopted Plan policies.  Departure from planning policy is possible within the Planning legislation but only in exceptional circumstances and where there are compelling and exceptional planning reasons for doing so.  A safeguard in the legislation requires that any decision to depart from policy must be advertised and notified to the Secretary of State who has the power to 'call in' the application before it is finally determined.  The National Park Authority notified Government Office South West of the Cutcombe application and notice has been received allowing the application and confirming that the departure from policy is justified by the importance of the livestock market project to Exmoor’s communities.

David Wyborn, Head of Planning at Exmoor National Park Authority said: This development is important for the future of Exmoor’s farmers and will also provide much needed business space and housing. Draft legal agreements are already with the applicants and as soon as these are agreed and signed, planning permission can be granted.”