Please Note: This website is out of date. The Steward Community Woodland sustainable living project ended
in 2018 for legal and planning permission reasons. The contents have been left here as a historical archive.
Planning Summary
Shortly after moving onto the land in April 2000, we applied to the Dartmoor National Park Authority ('DNPA') for planning permission to be able to live at the woods and carry on the experiment in sustainable and low impact living that we had started. Unfortunately, the DNPA refused our application so we appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. Eventually, in August 2002 we were granted a five year temporary permission by a Planning Inspector. The DNPA attempted to get this decision overturned in the High Court but failed. More details on our Planning History page.
Just as the original five year permission was running out, we applied to the DNPA for a further 5 year period of planning permission. Once again, in November 2007, the DNPA turned us down. So we appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate resulting in the Public Inquiry which was held from 28th-30th April 2009. On 1st June 2009, the Planning Inspector granted us temporary permission for 5 years to continue this sustainable project. The permission is subject to various conditions. You can read the Appeal Decision in full (pdf).
After this period expired we submitted a planning application for permanent planning permission in Febuary 2015. This application was refused by the DNPA. We are now appealing against that decision.