®Planning appeal decision
Land west of Five Ash Down Road, Coopers Green
for the development of land for up to 35 residential dwellings
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Longmuir J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the appeal site is a suitable location for housing, having regard to local and national policies for development in the countryside
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect of the proposal on biodiversity including the Ashdown Forest SPA and SAC and Lewes Downs SAC
What decided it
The Council's substantial housing land supply shortfall of 3.66 years triggered the tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11(d)(ii), and the benefits of housing delivery, including affordable housing and self-build units, significantly outweighed the limited harm to character and appearance and the limited conflict with development plan policies.
The limited conflict with the development plan and limited to very limited harm to character and appearance were outweighed by the substantial benefits of delivering 35 dwellings (including 9 affordable units and up to 5% self-build) in the context of a severe housing land supply shortfall of 3.66 years, with the proposal meeting the economic, social and environmental objectives of the Framework.
Framework references: 8, 11, 56, 65, 79, 110, 126, 130, 185
Plan policies cited: Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy GD2, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy DC17, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN1, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN2, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN7, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN8, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN14, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN15, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy EN27, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy LR3, Wealden Local Plan 1998 Policy LR5, Wealden District Core Strategy Local Plan 2013 Policy WCS6, Wealden District Core Strategy Local Plan 2013 Policy WCS9, Wealden District Core Strategy Local Plan 2013 Policy WCS12, Affordable Housing Delivery Plan 2016 Policy AFH1
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.