PWA has successfully secured planning permission for the change of use of Manley House, Lancashire, from a private residence to a premier weddings and events venue.
Submitted on behalf of Proimage Limited, the proposals to create a venue with capacity for up to 200 guests faced an intensely challenging planning environment.
The application drew local political interest and public objections, placing pressure on the local planning authority.
Acting on behalf of the appellant, PWA led the overarching planning strategy and coordinated a robust multidisciplinary team of landscape, ecology, highways, and acoustic specialists.
Throughout the appeal process, PWA presented technical evidence that led the local planning authority to formally withdraw multiple reasons for refusal, including flood risk, coal mining, and ecology.
On the day of the hearing, through our successful advocacy, the Council withdrew its highways and accessibility objections entirely.
With those matters resolved, the Council’s remaining concerns on the aesthetic impact of the proposal and acceptability of the proposed use outside the town centre formed the focus of the appeal.
Following a hearing in April 2026, the Planning Inspector allowed the appeal in full, concluding that the proposals accorded with the development plan and national planning policy.
Validating PWA’s strategic arguments, the Inspector’s decision letter provided several decisive conclusions:
- Rebutting the Council’s claim that a wedding venue belongs in a town centre, the Inspector firmly stated that “the definition of a wedding as a town centre use is not inevitable” and that they “need not be exclusively a town centre use”.
- The decision confirmed that “the scale of the proposed enterprise would be in keeping with the existing dwelling, its gardens, the surrounding area, and the road network”.
- Dismissing the Council’s visual impact claims, the Inspector noted that “the site is not a sensitive or valued landscape” and concluded that any visual effect would be “negligible following the growth of proposed mitigation planting”.
Lydia Gallagher, planner at PWA, said: “This was a fiercely contested application, and we are happy with the outcome for our client. Overcoming several reasons for refusal and navigating intense local opposition required a detailed, evidence-led strategy.
“The Inspector’s decision not only provides incredibly useful clarity on the planning treatment of wedding venues in countryside locations, but it proves that well-designed rural diversification projects can absolutely succeed when backed by the right evidence.”