®Planning appeal decision
Astridge Farm, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 8LA
Planning appeal 3256314 at Astridge Farm, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 8LA (St Albans City Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 17 June 2021 by Inspector Gilbert-Wooldridge T, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the special interest of the Grade II listed building known as Astridge Farmhouse.
two storey rear extension
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- householder · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Householder developments
- Inspector
- Gilbert-Wooldridge T
- Postcode
- AL4 8LA
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the special interest of the Grade II listed building known as Astridge Farmhouse
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the NPPF and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- if the proposal would be inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of its inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The cumulative effect of previous and proposed extensions would exceed the disproportionality threshold set by NPPF paragraph 145(c) and the SPG, and the private benefit to the appellants could not clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt necessary to establish very special circumstances.
the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriate development and minor harm to openness was not clearly outweighed by the private benefit of additional living accommodation, and very special circumstances did not exist
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 86Policy 69Policy 1Policy 13Policy 72
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 192Paragraph 193Paragraph 145Paragraph 133Paragraph 143Paragraph 144
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in St Albans City Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2021
- Planning permission granted15 September 20263311314Land at Former Butterfly World, Miriam Lane, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3NY
- Dismissed10 July 20266008445202 Radlett Road, Frogmore, St Albans, AL2 2EN
- Planning permission granted8 July 2026337492139 The Broadway, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 9LW
- Notice upheld8 July 2026336000739 The Broadway, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, AL4 8LW
- Dismissed10 June 20266005367Beaumont Hall Lane, Redbourn Road, Redbourn, AL3 6RN
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.