®Planning appeal decision
Blackbrooks Garden Centre, Lower Dicker, HAILSHAM, BN27 4BJ
the demolition of existing garden centre building and bungalow. The redevelopment of the site for up to 45 no. dwellings, gardens and parking and use of existing access to the A22. The provision of SUDS, open space, playspace and strategic landscaping including retention of existing boundary screening
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Naylor R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be sited in a suitable location for housing having regard to the national and local planning policies
- the effect of the proposed development on the supply of local services
What decided it
The substantial shortfall in five-year housing land supply (3.66 years) engaged the tilted balance, and the significant benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing, self-build provision and other social, economic and environmental benefits substantially outweighed the harm from locating development outside the defined settlement boundary.
The conflict with the spatial strategy (WLP Policies GD2, DC17 and WCS Policy WCS6) attracted significant weight as harm, but this was substantially outweighed by the significant weight given to the contribution of 45 dwellings (including 35% affordable housing and 5% self-build), the substantial weight of the housing land supply shortfall, and the substantial weight of social, economic and environmental benefits including green infrastructure, recreation space, bus service improvements, and biodiversity net gain.
Framework references: 11, 14, 56, 57, 65, 84
Plan policies cited: Wealden Local Plan Policy EN1, Wealden Local Plan Policy GD2, Wealden Local Plan Policy DC17, Wealden Local Plan Policy TR3, Wealden Local Plan Policy EN8, Wealden District Core Strategy Local Plan Policy WCS6, Hellingly Neighbourhood Plan Policy LD1, Affordable Housing Delivery Local Plan Policy AFH1
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.