Units 1-3, Welham Manor, Welham Green, North Mymms, HATFIELD, AL9 7EL

the erection of 7 dwellinghouses

Authority: Welwyn Hatfield Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: O'Doherty A

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and the effect on the openness of the Green Belt
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
the effect of the proposal on employment land
the effect of the proposal on highway safety
if the proposal would be inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it

What decided it

The proposal's greater visual impact on Green Belt openness through substantially taller and more imposing dwellings in a suburban layout, combined with unacceptable harm to character and appearance and loss of employment land, could not be clearly outweighed by the moderate benefits of housing delivery in the absence of a five-year supply.

the benefits of housing delivery (moderate weight) did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, the unacceptable harm to character and appearance, and the unacceptable loss of employment land, such that very special circumstances did not exist

Framework references: 149, 123, 130, 81, 111, 148, 11

Plan policies cited: Policy H2, Policy RA1, Policy R1, Policy D1, Policy D2, Policy D8, Policy RA11, Policy R17, Policy EMP8, Policy SADM 34, Policy SADM 1, Policy SADM 10, Policy SADM 30

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.