Equestrian Centre, Cherry Lane, AMERSHAM, HP7 0QF

an agricultural track

Authority: Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area *
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: agricultural · Other minor developments
Inspector: Jackson R

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
the effect on heritage assets and the settings of heritage assets
the effect on the character, appearance and scenic beauty of the area being within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
whether there is sufficient information to assess the effect on ecology
whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The cumulative harm to heritage assets (less than substantial harm to the RPG and Conservation Area), the AONB (significant harm to scenic beauty through tree loss), and unresolved ecological concerns regarding protected species, combined with minimal public benefits, meant the very special circumstances necessary to justify inappropriate Green Belt development did not exist.

Framework references: 11, 147, 148, 150, 174, 176, 180, 199, 200, 202, 219

Plan policies cited: Policy GB2, Policy CA1, Policy CA2, Policy CA5, Policy LB2, Policy LB5, Policy GC12, Policy LSQ1, Policy NC1, Policy CS24

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.