®Planning appeal decision
Woodfords, Shipley Road, Southwater, RH13 9BQ
Planning appeal 3283648 at Woodfords, Shipley Road, Southwater, RH13 9BQ (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 8 August 2022 by Inspector Bowyer J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether or not the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing having regard to its position within the countryside and the spatial strategy for the District.
outline planning application (all matters reserved except access) for demolition of existing dwelling and associated buildings and the erection of approximately 78 new dwellings (C3 use) and associated public open space, landscaping, drainage and highways infrastructure works, including vehicular access from Shipley Road
- Authority
- Horsham District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Bowyer J
- Postcode
- RH13 9BQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing having regard to its position within the countryside and the spatial strategy for the District
- the effect of the proposal on the integrity of the Arun Valley SPA, SAC and Ramsar Site, with particular regard to the abstraction of water within the SNWSZ
What decided it
The adverse effect of the development on the integrity of the Arun Valley SPA, SAC and Ramsar Site through water abstraction, which could not be adequately mitigated with sufficient certainty, precluded the proposal under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and overrode the benefits of housing delivery.
The significant benefits of delivering 73 dwellings, affordable housing, economic and social benefits, and biodiversity net gain were outweighed by the adverse effect on designated nature conservation sites and conflict with the Habitats Regulations, which was a matter of overriding concern.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 2 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015Policy 3 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015Policy 4 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015Policy 26 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015Policy 16 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015Policy 31 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015Policy 39 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 8Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 182
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 authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022
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- Dismissed14 July 202660082071 Hilltop Cottages, The Mount, Ifield, RH11 0LF
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.