Planning appeal decision
Forest Farm, Paddockhurst Lane, Balcombe, RH17 6QZ
Planning appeal 3261319 at Forest Farm, Paddockhurst Lane, Balcombe, RH17 6QZ (Mid Sussex District Council) was allowed on 18 June 2021 by Inspector Evans L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area, including with regard to its siting within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
demolition of existing redundant farm buildings and temporary accommodation and their replacement with a single dwelling with associated landscaping
- Authority
- Mid Sussex District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Evans L
- Postcode
- RH17 6QZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area, including with regard to its siting within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- the accessibility of the site to local services
What decided it
The existence of an extant, implemented permission for a comparable dwelling on the same site provided great weight as a fallback position that justified allowing the appeal despite policy conflicts.
the material benefits of the fallback position and the high-quality design that conserves the AONB landscape outweighed the conflicts with policies DP12, DP21 and the countryside protection objectives
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy DP16Policy DP12Policy DP26Policy DP21Policy 3 of the Balcombe Neighbourhood Plan
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 172Paragraph 53
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 Mid Sussex
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2021
- Allowed29 October 202660151205, Dexter Drive, East Grinstead, RH19 4SU
- Dismissed22 October 2026601278111 Barnfield, Balcombe, RH17 6FW
- Dismissed9 October 20266010262Development Site At Former Tower Car Sales, Tower Close, East Grinstead, RH19 3BY
- Dismissed9 October 20266005209Lullings Cottage, West Hill, Ardingly, RH17 6QY
- Dismissed9 October 20266005206Lullings Cottage, West Hill, Ardingly, RH17 6QY
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.
®