Statement – Planning Appeal Decision, Land North of The Wern, Lechlade
A Cotswold District Council spokesperson said: "We are disappointed by the Planning Inspectorate’s decision, announced on Monday 15 June, to overturn the Council’s decision to refuse a development of 54 homes to be built on land north of The Wern, on the edge of Lechlade.
"Development on this site has been consistently objected to and refused over the last decade.
"The latest application was refused by the Council’s planning committee in July 2025 owing to several concerns, including the impact on the town’s rural setting and the loss of countryside.
"While the Inspector recognised elements of harm, that decision to refuse was overturned on appeal.
"This further highlights how difficult it has become for councils to resist speculative development in the current national planning context. Increased housing targets set by the government, alongside the requirement to maintain sufficient land supply to meet those targets, mean the balance is increasingly tilted in favour of development.
"In this case, the Council defended its refusal, but the Inspector concluded that the benefits of delivering housing outweighed the identified harm.
"This mirrors challenges seen elsewhere in the district. In Moreton-in-Marsh, the Council recently withdrew from defending against an appeal for a 195-home scheme after clear advice that there was little prospect of success. It was subsequently confirmed by the Planning Inspector that development there could go ahead.
"The current planning system means resisting such speculative development is increasingly difficult, with a risk of significant cost to taxpayers when defending appeals.
"Taken together, the cases in Lechlade and Moreton underline the reality councils face: whether to commit substantial public funds to appeals that are increasingly difficult to win, or make difficult decisions to step back where the odds are stacked against local decision-making.
"The Council will continue to consider proposals for new housing on their merits, and work with developers and landowners to secure the best possible outcomes for communities. This includes providing genuinely affordable housing, supporting infrastructure and environmental protections.
"However, this decision reinforces a clear point: the most effective way to regain control over development in the district is through an up-to-date Local Plan.
"The Council is progressing this work at pace, assessing evidence and potential sites that have been made available, to ensure future development is planned in the right places, supported by the necessary infrastructure, and shaped by local priorities to create communities that can thrive.
"This will involve difficult decisions about where growth should go. But crucially, those decisions will be made locally - not through piecemeal, speculative applications.
"We will share further updates on the emerging Local Plan next month.”