Planning appeal decision
316 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, AL4 0DU
Planning appeal 3263976 at 316 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, AL4 0DU (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 7 June 2021 by Inspector Chalk M, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.
demolition of rear extension, garage and outbuildings and construction of two semi-detached dwellings with associated parking
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Chalk M
- Postcode
- AL4 0DU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- The effect on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers
- Whether it would provide an acceptable standard of accommodation with particular regard to outdoor space
What decided it
The substantial harm to character and appearance and to neighbouring living conditions substantially and demonstrably outweighed the moderate benefits of housing provision, displacing the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
The moderate benefits of housing delivery on a windfall site of previously developed land were substantially and demonstrably outweighed by the substantial harm to character and appearance and to neighbouring living conditions.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 69Policy 70
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
- Dismissed25 September 2026600980858 And 60 Waverley Road St, St Albans, St Albans, AL3 5PE
- Dismissed22 September 2026601380233 Oakfield Road, Harpenden, AL52NP
- Invalid17 September 2026600824718 Manland Way, Harpenden, AL5 4QS
- Planning permission granted15 September 20263311314Land at Former Butterfly World, Miriam Lane, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3NY
- Notice upheld15 September 20263311308Land at Former Butterfly World, Miriam Lane, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3NY
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.
®