Thistledown Farm, Framfield Road, Blackboys, TN22 5HD

Planning appeal 3289181 at Thistledown Farm, Framfield Road, Blackboys, TN22 5HD (Wealden District Council) was dismissed on 20 June 2023 by Inspector Smith J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing, having regard to its accessibility to services and facilities.

demolition of a poultry unit (with extant change of use consent to 1 no. C3 dwelling under WD/19/0672/P04) and two adjacent farm buildings and their replacement with a new build dwelling, garage and shed

Authority: Wealden District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Smith J
Postcode: TN22 5HD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing, having regard to its accessibility to services and facilities
the effect on ancient woodland

What decided it

The unacceptable risk of harm to ancient woodland from the proposed garden's proximity to Tickerage Wood, which is not replicated by the fallback conversion scheme, provided a clear reason for refusal under Framework paragraph 11d).

The harm to irreplaceable ancient woodland habitat was not outweighed by the fallback position or any other material considerations, including the contribution to housing supply and self-build provision.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: GD2DC17EN1EN13WCS6WCS14WCS13SP07SP01
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 180

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.

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The decision letter

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16 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision

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More decisions in Wealden District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

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Allowed31 December 20253366478
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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.