®Planning appeal decision
Land on the north west side of Junipers, Harbolets Road, West Chiltington, West Sussex, RH20 2LG
without planning permission, the material change of use of the land to use for the stationing of caravans for residential occupation and associated operational development (hardstanding, utility pipes and septic tank)
- Authority
- Horsham District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Steen A
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the development on the Arun Valley Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Ramsar sites in relation to water neutrality
- the effect of the development on the intrinsic character and beauty of the landscape
- the effect of the development on highway safety with regard to the access to the site from Harbolets Road
- whether there are other material considerations that would outweigh any conflict with development plan policies, such as the personal circumstances of the appellants and the need for gypsy and traveller accommodation within the District
What decided it
The unacceptable risk of harm to the integrity of the Arun Valley SAC, SPA and Ramsar site (water neutrality), which could not be mitigated and was not outweighed by imperative reasons of overriding public interest.
The significant weight given to the personal circumstances of the occupiers and unmet gypsy and traveller need outweighed the modest landscape harm, but this balance was itself outweighed by the unmitigated, unacceptable risk of harm to the integrity of the Arun Valley SAC, SPA and Ramsar site, tipping the overall balance against the development.
Plan policies cited: Policy 2, Policy 23, Policy 25, Policy 26, Policy 31, Policy 32, Policy 33, Policy 40
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.