AN appeal against refusal for a plan to change a converted barn from holiday let accommodation into a home at Coppershell in Gastard has been thrown out by a planning inspector.

Wiltshire Council refused planning permission last September as it felt because of its remote location at Catherine Court Farm it would represent ‘unsustainable form of new residential development in the open countryside’ in relation to the Wiltshire Core Strategy polices.

It also said it would harm the character and appearance of the site and its setting within the open countryside.

Alvin Howard of Bolingbroke Design appealed this decision on behalf of the owners of the property, who say The Old Stables holiday let has become financially unviable.

This is the second time planning permission has been refused to turn it into a home and planning inspector Michael Lowe dismissed the appeal last week on the grounds he had not been provided with enough information to show it was not viable and it would have a ‘detrimental impact on the existing openness of the site’.

He said: “It would be very likely that if this appeal were allowed that future residents would, quite naturally wish to improve the security and privacy around their property. This would have a harmful effect on the open character of this existing agricultural landscape."

Mr Lowe also added that the Core Strategy requires residential developments outside of defined settlements to provide employment within the immediate vicinity in the agriculture or forestry field which the applicants did not state it would provide.

Corsham Town Council also recommended it be refused when the application was first submitted as it felt it would expand the settlement in an undesirable way.