Beech Farm, Beech Farm Road, Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9QJ

conversion of buildings to provide 2 x 4 bed, 2 x 3 bed and 1 x 2 bed houses with associated parking, landscaping, package treatment plant and removal of hardstanding (Alternative development to that approved under reference TA/2016/553)

Authority: Tandridge District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Szymanski D

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development upon protected species
whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
the effect of the proposed development upon the openness of the Green Belt
the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area
if the proposal is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations and whether this would amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The failure to provide a reptile survey to establish the presence, absence, and distribution of protected species and to demonstrate appropriate mitigation, compensation, and enhancements, which the Inspector found could not be resolved by planning condition and was a statutory prerequisite to determining the application.

The moderate benefits of housing delivery and temporary economic benefit were substantially outweighed by the substantial harm arising from the unresolved risk to protected species, when assessed against the policies of the Framework taken as a whole.

Framework references: 179, 147, 149, 150, 11

Plan policies cited: Policy CSP17 of the Tandridge District Core Strategy (2008), Policy DP19 of the Tandridge Local Plan Part 2 (July 2014), Policy DP10 of the Tandridge Local Plan Part 2, Policy DP13 of the Tandridge Local Plan Part 2, Policy CSP18 of the Tandridge District Core Strategy (2008), Policy CSP21 of the Tandridge District Core Strategy (2008), Policy DP7 of the Tandridge Local Plan Part 2

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.