Planning appeal decision
Zone Marketing Uk, Interior House, 40 Coldharbour Lane, Harpenden, AL5 4UN
Planning appeal 3279576 at Zone Marketing Uk, Interior House, 40 Coldharbour Lane, Harpenden, AL5 4UN (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 21 December 2021 by Inspector Couper C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.
retrospective planning approval to retain external storage container in brown
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- other · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Couper C
- Postcode
- AL5 4UN
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The container's prominent forward siting, harsh functional appearance and prefabricated form cause harmful effects on the character and appearance of the area that are not outweighed by the temporary business benefits claimed.
The benefits to the appellant company of granting permission, even for a temporary period, do not outweigh the harm that the scheme causes to the character and appearance of the area
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 69 of the City and District of St Albans District Local Plan Review (1994)Policy ESD1 of the Harpenden Neighbourhood Plan 2018-2033 (2019)
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 130
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


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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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