®Planning appeal decision
Land East of Picknage Road and Adjecent to 36, Picknage Road , Barley, Hertfordshire, SG8 8HP
Permission in Principle: Erection of 9 dwellings, replacement local community shop (Class F2 (a)) of 265 square metres, and associated access, parking, drainage, and biodiversity/landscaping area
- Authority
- North Hertfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Castle S
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site is suitable for residential development, in terms of its location, land use and amount of development, with particular regard to local and national planning policy relating to the location of the proposed development
- the effect of the proposal on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect of the proposal on the setting and significance of the Barley Conservation Area
What decided it
The identified less than substantial harm to the setting and significance of the Barley Conservation Area, to which great weight must be given under Framework paragraph 199, is not outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme, and the Framework provides a clear reason for refusal that displaces the tilted balance.
the public benefits of housing delivery, retail provision, and economic and social benefits (afforded moderate weight) do not outweigh the significant harms to landscape character, the RABGB, and the conservation area (afforded significant and great weight respectively), and the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits
Framework references: 11, 84, 85, 93, 130, 170, 189, 199, 202, 222
Plan policies cited: Policy SP2 (Settlement Hierarchy), Policy SP4 (Town Centres, Local Centres and Community Shops), Policy SP6 (Sustainable Transport), Policy SP10 (Healthy Communities), Policy CGB1 (RABGB), Policy CGB2b (Community Facilities, Services and Affordable Housing in the RABGB), Policy D3 (Protecting Living Conditions), Policy NE1 (Landscape), Policy ETC7 (Scattered Local Shops and Services in Towns and Villages), Policy HE1 (Designated Heritage Assets), Policy HS2 (Affordable housing), saved Policy 6 of the Local Plan 1996, policy 51 of the North Hertfordshire District Local Plan No. 2 – with Alterations (Saved Policies 2007)
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.