®Planning appeal decision
Scotland Lane , Haslemere, Surrey , GU27 3AN
the erection of a residential development including associated parking, landscaping, open space and infrastructure
- Authority
- Waverley Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Hockenhull H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the Area of Great Landscape Value, the wider countryside, the setting of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural beauty and the character and appearance of Museum Hill and Old Haslemere Road
- whether the Council can demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land against the housing requirement
- whether the proposal would preserve the setting of the Grade II listed buildings at Red Court
What decided it
The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land engaged the tilted balance, and the benefits of housing delivery were found not to be significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the identified landscape and housing mix harms.
the harms to the character and appearance of the AGLV/countryside and to housing mix, together with limited harm from pedestrian improvements, did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of housing and affordable housing delivery, sustainable location, open space and economic benefits, so the tilted balance favoured allowing the appeal
Framework references: 11, 55, 57, 169, 170, 174, 176
Plan policies cited: Policy RE1, Policy RE3, Policy NE2, Policy TD1, Policy AHN3, Policy AHN1, Policy HA1, Policy LRC1, Policy NE1, Policy NE3, Policy CC2, Policy ALH1, Policy D1, Policy D4, Policy D6, Policy D7, Policy HE3, Policy HE5, HNP Policy H10, HNP Policy H5, HNP Policy H1(iii)
Judgments cited: Hewitt, R (on the application of) v Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council & Anor [2020] EWHC 3405 (Admin); R (on the application of Champion) v North Norfolk District Council [2025] UHSC 52
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.