Planning appeal decision
West Flexford Barn, West Flexford Lane, Wanborough, Guildford, GU3 2JW
Planning appeal 3285558 at West Flexford Barn, West Flexford Lane, Wanborough, Guildford, GU3 2JW (Guildford Borough Council) was allowed on 26 May 2023 by Inspector O'Doherty A, 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.
construction of housing for biomass pellet boiler and associated pellet store
- Authority
- Guildford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- householder · Householder (HAS)
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- utilities-energy · Householder developments
- Inspector
- O'Doherty A
- Postcode
- GU3 2JW
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
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- 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 fallback position of permitted development rights for an oil tank of similar impact, combined with the substantial environmental benefits of renewable energy serving two properties, clearly outweighed the harm to the Green Belt.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy P2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 148Paragraph 149Paragraph 150Paragraph 151
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


More decisions in Guildford Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Allowed15 October 20266008529Shortland Farm, Guildford Road, Ash, GU12 6DF
- Allowed14 October 20266009751Land South of Green Lane, West Horsley, GU23 6PQ
- Dismissed6 October 20266009810Hogs Back Farm Yard, Monkshatch, Compton, GU3 1DL
- Allowed5 October 20266012736The Cottage, Blanket Mill Farm, Goose Rye Road, Worplesdon, Guildford, GU3 3RQ
- Dismissed23 September 20266009962Pentire, The Avenue, Worplesdon, GU3 3RA
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.
®