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Dismissed21 June 20233282091

Westbrook Mills, Borough Road, Godalming, GU7 2AZ

Planning appeal 3282091 at Westbrook Mills, Borough Road, Godalming, GU7 2AZ (Waverley Borough Council) was dismissed on 21 June 2023 by Inspector Sabu R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies including the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt.

described as, ‘outline application with all matters reserved for a 67 unit retirement scheme (including 30% affordable)

Authority
Waverley Borough Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Sabu R
Postcode
GU7 2AZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies including the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV)
  • whether the proposal would secure appropriate affordable housing
  • the effect of the proposal on flooding
  • the effect of the proposal on Wealden Heaths Phase 1 Special Protection Area (SPA)
  • whether the proposal would meet the identified housing need in terms of housing mix
  • the effect of the proposal on trees
  • the effect of the proposal on biodiversity
  • whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt with no very special circumstances to justify it, as the identified benefits do not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt and other identified harms.

The benefits of housing delivery and proximity to sustainable transport were outweighed by substantial harm to the Green Belt, harm to the AGLV character and appearance, failure to secure affordable housing, flood risk concerns, and failure to meet housing mix requirements.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy RE2Policy RE3Policy AHN1Policy CC4Policy NE1Policy NE2Policy AHN3Policy DM1Policy DM11Policy GOD1
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 147Paragraph 11

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.

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The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.