Planning appeal decision
Land at the Great Northern Public House, 172 London Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1PQ
Planning appeal 3269374 at Land at the Great Northern Public House, 172 London Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1PQ (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: Whether the development would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the St Albans Conservation Area.
construction of three-storey building to create 3 x 1-bedroom and 2 x 2-bedroom flats with associated access and partial change of use of public house garden to Class C3 (residential)
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Chalk M
- Postcode
- AL1 1PQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the development would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the St Albans Conservation Area
- The effect on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers, in particular those at Nos 2 and 4 Alma Cut
- The effect on the ongoing viability of the Great Northern Public House
What decided it
The harm to the significance of the conservation area, combined with unacceptable harm to neighbouring living conditions and the viability of a valued community facility, outweighs the benefits of housing delivery in a sustainable location.
The less than substantial harm to the conservation area significance, combined with great weight given to harm to neighbouring living conditions and moderate weight to harm to the public house viability, outweighed the benefits of five new dwellings in a sustainable location and the Council's failure to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 2Policy 4Policy 69Policy 70Policy 85Policy 87
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
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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.
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