Planning appeal decision
Land Opposite Holly Cottage , Lewes Road, Laughton, BN8 6BL
Planning appeal 3277405 at Land Opposite Holly Cottage , Lewes Road, Laughton, BN8 6BL (Wealden District Council) was dismissed on 14 June 2022 by Inspector Parker R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.
a new residential build single dwelling house which includes a change of use from agricultural grassland to residential
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Parker R
- Postcode
- BN8 6BL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect on the setting of Grade II listed Holly Cottage
- whether the site is a suitable location for housing having regard to the development plan and the principles of sustainable development
What decided it
The adverse impacts on character and appearance arising from the dwelling's incongruous design would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme, making it unsustainable development under the Framework.
The harm to the setting of Holly Cottage (at the lower end of the scale) and the material harm to character and appearance from the incongruous design significantly and demonstrably outweigh the very modest public benefits of delivering a single 2-bed dwelling, even under the tilted balance triggered by the lack of five-year housing land supply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy EN27 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy EN8 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy GD2 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy DC17 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy SPO1 of the Wealden Core Strategy Local Plan 2013Policy WCS6 of the Wealden Core Strategy Local Plan 2013Policy WCS14 of the Wealden Core Strategy Local Plan 2013
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 130Paragraph 202
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


More decisions in Wealden District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022
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- Notice varied and upheld28 September 20263356589Land An New House Farm, Buckham Hill, Isfield, East Sussex, TN22 5XU
- Dismissed25 September 20266009517Fairfield Cottage, Cross In Hand Road, Heathfield, TN21 0SN
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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