Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 13 March 2025 by J D Clark BA (Hons) DpTRP MCD DMS MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 23 April 2025 Appeal Ref: APP/Q9495/W/24/3353222 Pingle Wood Workshop, Bridge Lane, Ambleside, Westmorland and Furness LA23 1LA • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant approval required under Schedule 2, Part 6, Class E of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended). • The appeal is made by Mr Peter Gorman against the decision of the Lake District National Park Authority. • The application Ref is 7/2024/5269. • The development proposed is erection of a wooden workshop/shed and creation of an access track for harvesting of firewood and woodland management tasks. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Preliminary Matters 2.

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision The provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 as amended, under Schedule 2, Part 6, Class E, Paragraph E.2(1)(a) requires the local planning authority to assess the proposed development solely on the basis of the siting, design and external appearance of the building or, as the case may be, the siting and means of construction of the private way. My determination of this appeal has been made on the same basis. 3. I have taken the description of development above from the decision notice as this is a more accurate and succinct description than on the application form. However, it does not include the area of hardstanding for car parking which also forms part of the proposal. I have based my assessment on all of the components referred to. 4. There is no requirement to have regard to the development plan as there would be for any development requiring planning permission.

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision Nevertheless, Policies 01, 02, 05, 06 and 07 of the Lake District National Park Local Plan1 are material considerations insofar as they relate to issues of siting, design and external appearance of the proposed workshop/shed and siting and means of construction of the access track and associated hardstanding. 1 Lake District National Park Local Plan 2020-2035, Adopted May 2021. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision Nevertheless, Policies 01, 02, 05, 06 and 07 of the Lake District National Park Local Plan1 are material considerations insofar as they relate to issues of siting, design and external appearance of the proposed workshop/shed and siting and means of construction of the access track and associated hardstanding. 1 Lake District National Park Local Plan 2020-2035, Adopted May 2021. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/Q9495/W/24/3353222 5. A revised version of the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) was published in December 2024 and is a material consideration in this appeal. Having considered the revisions to the Framework, as well as the principles of natural justice, together with the nature of the determining issues in this appeal it is clear to me that there are no material changes in the revised Framework relevant to the substance of this appeal. Therefore, I do not consider it necessary, in this instance, to invite any submissions from the parties on the revised Framework. Main Issues 6. The main issues are the effect of the proposed workshop /shed on the character and appearance of the area having regard to its siting, design and external appearance and the siting and means of construction of the area of hardstanding and the access track. Reasons 7. The appeal site comprises an area of land of about 2 acres (0.85 hectares). The land rises on all sides and therefore appears as an elevated wooded area. To the south-west, also on rising land is an area of cleared land. The surroundings comprise open land with areas of dense and scattered trees.

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision There is an area of new tree planting to the north-west. 8. The proposal would create an area of hardstanding close to the road for parking and a track rising from it to provide an access through the wood. A timber workshop/shed would be sited on a plateau within the wood. 9. The proposed development is required so that the appellant can manage the woodland. There is no suggestion that this is a business enterprise but the woodland is for the appellant’s own private use, a hobby. Due to the topography, it is clear that manoeuvring vehicles to assist in the woodland’s maintenance presents some difficulties. The proposed access and hardstanding area is intended to address this. 10. The site is located in the Lake District National Park and within the Lake District World Heritage Site. In accordance with the Framework, great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks and the conservation of heritage assets, such as World Heritage Sites, which are valued as being of highest significance. Within these designated areas, development should be sensitively located and designed to minimise adverse impacts. 11.

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision The timber workshop/shed would be partly screened from public views by the trees. However, due to the raised level of the land the building would be elevated and therefore would be highly visible. I have no details about how extensive any clearance or management would be but given that the proposal is required to manage the woodland, this could involve some felling and clearance which would reduce the amount of screening. I accept that some re-planting also could occur. The hardsurfaced area for a car park would be close to the road and the track from it would be visible as it cut through the trees, especially due to the topography. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision The timber workshop/shed would be partly screened from public views by the trees. However, due to the raised level of the land the building would be elevated and therefore would be highly visible. I have no details about how extensive any clearance or management would be but given that the proposal is required to manage the woodland, this could involve some felling and clearance which would reduce the amount of screening. I accept that some re-planting also could occur. The hardsurfaced area for a car park would be close to the road and the track from it would be visible as it cut through the trees, especially due to the topography. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/Q9495/W/24/3353222 12. Whilst I have no concerns about the design of the workshop/shed, due to its prominent siting together with the hardsurfaced car parking area, and access track, the development as a whole would have an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area. Whilst a condition could secure precise details of the hardsurfaced area and access track, their siting is a fundamental requirement of seeking prior approval and given the sensitivity of this location, their visual impact should be dealt with at this stage of the procedure. 13. The GDPO requires that the means of construction of a private way is required. No details have been submitted as to how the access track would be constructed and although the appellant has indicated that its surfacing could be agreed, given the rising land, details would be required regarding the stability and durability of an access track. Although a condition could secure these details, the extent of the work to create a track is fundamental to the acceptability of its siting. Therefore, as above, I consider that this should be addressed at the outset rather than by condition. Conclusion 14.

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — Appeal Decision For the reasons given above the appeal should be dismissed.

Pingle Wood, Bridge Lane, Windermere , Cumbria , LA23 1LA — Lake District — J D Clark INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3