Pepperstock, Bedfordshire

DLA have obtained successful planning permissions for Harpers in Pepperstock, which is situated in the Green Belt. Back in 2019, we got an approval through for a purpose-built production facility with associated offices. At this time, Pepperstock was the location for their retail side of the business, and the addition of a production facility to the east of their retail site allowed them to consolidate the company into one site, whilst providing job creation to the local area. These benefits formed part of the very special circumstances needed to show that the benefit of the development would outweigh the harm, due to its Green Belt location. We also used relevant case law to demonstrate that the expansion of an existing business in the Green Belt can be considered a very special circumstance.

Most recently, we have now received a further approval for six affordable key worker cottages on the adjacent site in relation to the business. Using the same very special circumstances as the previous application, along with the proposal being sensitively designed, we have gained another success for Harpers.