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Dismissed16 May 20233294532

Little London, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0AY

Planning appeal 3294532 at Little London, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0AY (Wealden District Council) was dismissed on 16 May 2023 by Inspector Guest H, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is a suitable location for the development with regard to the Council's spatial strategy for the area and accessibility to services and facilities.

two semi-detached dwellings to replace storage building for builder's plant, machinery, and materials

Authority
Wealden District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Guest H
Postcode
TN21 0AY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the site is a suitable location for the development with regard to the Council's spatial strategy for the area and accessibility to services and facilities
  • The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including whether it would conserve or enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • The effect of the proposal on highway safety, with particular regard to visibility
  • The effect of the proposal on biodiversity, with particular regard to bats

What decided it

The proposal conflicts with the development plan read as a whole on multiple grounds (sustainability of location, character and appearance, highway safety, and biodiversity), and the Framework's policies protecting the AONB provide a clear reason for refusal that displaces the presumption in favour of sustainable development despite the Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing supply.

The modest benefits of providing two dwellings and some economic benefits were outweighed by the significant harm to the AONB landscape, unsustainable location requiring car dependency, unacceptable highway safety risks, and unresolved biodiversity concerns regarding bats, with the AONB protection policies providing a clear reason for refusal.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy EN1Policy EN2Policy GD2Policy DC17Policy WCS6Policy EN6Policy EN27Policy EN14Policy EN12Policy SP01Objective SPO7Objective SPO8Objective SPO13
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11

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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More decisions in Wealden District Council

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

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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.