®Planning appeal decision
Stables on Land South of Mill Lane, Mill Lane, Littleworth, West Sussex, RH13 8JU
Planning appeal 3274597 at Stables on Land South of Mill Lane, Mill Lane, Littleworth, West Sussex, RH13 8JU (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 12 December 2022 by Inspector Douglas L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Appeal A: whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant a certificate of lawful use or development for the proposed development was well-founded.
Appeal A: certificate of lawful use or development for permitted development rights (Classes A-H) following conversion of stables to 2 holiday-let units. Appeal B: alterations and extensions to stables approved for 2 dwellinghouses to form a single dwelling and erection of two detached dwellings on the site of a former sand school and garage.
- Authority
- Horsham District Council
- Appeal type
- ldc · Lawful Development Certificate
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major retail and services
- Inspector
- Douglas L
- Postcode
- RH13 8JU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Appeal A: whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant a certificate of lawful use or development for the proposed development was well-founded
- Appeal B: the impact of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area; protected species; and the Arun Valley SAC, SPA and Ramsar site
What decided it
The combined weight of low-level harm to character and appearance and significant potential harm to protected species (great crested newts and bats) significantly and demonstrably outweighs the moderate benefits of housing delivery and economic activity, even in the absence of a five-year housing land supply.
The adverse impacts of granting planning permission—comprising moderate weight for harm to character and appearance and significant weight for potential harm to protected species—significantly and demonstrably outweigh the moderate benefits of 3 dwellings on previously developed land, modest economic benefits, and potential water savings compared to the fallback position, when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 25 (HDPF)Policy 26 (HDPF)Policy 31 (HDPF)Policy 32 (HDPF)Policy 33 (HDPF)Policy 4 (West Grinstead Neighbourhood Plan 2019–2031)
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 15
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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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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- Allowed12 October 20266011680Land at High Chaparral, London Road, Washington, RH20 3BP
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.