®Planning appeal decision
Land adjacent to 1 Seaview Cottages, Firgrove Road, Cross in Hand, East Sussex, TN21 0SX
development of 2no. new houses, associated car parking, landscaping and gardens
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Shearing C
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development proposed on the character and appearance of the area, including the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
What decided it
The significant and long-lasting harm to the character and appearance of the area and to the special landscape character of the AONB, arising from the excavated car parking and extensive hard surfacing, which conflicts with Framework paragraphs 130 and 176 and local plan policies protecting landscape character, outweighed the moderate benefits of housing delivery in an area with a shortfall in five-year supply.
The moderate weight given to housing benefits and economic contributions was outweighed by the significant and long-lasting harm to local character and the AONB, which engaged the protective policies of the Framework that provide a clear reason for refusal and displace the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
Framework references: 130, 176, 69, 63
Plan policies cited: EN6, EN27, SPO1
Judgments cited: Monkhill Ltd v SSHCLG [2021] EWCA Civ 74
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.