®Planning appeal decision
The Meadows , Bagshot Road , Woking , GU21 2RP
Planning appeal 3284110 at The Meadows , Bagshot Road , Woking , GU21 2RP (Woking Borough Council) was dismissed on 6 July 2023 by Inspector Wilson L, 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 an assessment on the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt.
demolition and redevelopment to provide extra care apartments (within Class C2), landscaping, parking, access, provision of an informal crossing and other associated works
- Authority
- Woking Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Wilson L
- Postcode
- GU21 2RP
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 an assessment on 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
- Whether or not the proposal would provide sufficient parking
- Whether or not the proposal would provide sufficient bin storage
- 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 substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, combined with harm to character and appearance and deficiencies in parking and bin storage provision, was not clearly outweighed by the benefits advanced, so very special circumstances did not exist.
The benefits of providing extra care accommodation (given significant weight), contribution to housing supply, economic benefits and social wellbeing benefits (given limited weight) did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt (to which substantial weight must be given), the moderate harm to openness, harm to character and appearance, and deficiencies in parking and bin storage.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS6Policy CS10Policy CS13Policy CS18Policy CS21Policy CS24Policy DM11Policy DM13
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 149Paragraph 137Paragraph 148Paragraph 56Paragraph 81Paragraph 11
- Judgments
- Brentwood BC v SSE [1996] 72 P&CR 61
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
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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.