Garden Cottage, Danesbury Park Road, WELWYN, AL6 9SE

the demolition of an existing one-bedroom annex; partial demolition of existing stables building; removal of shipping containers, builders’ yard, equipment and materials; reduction in area of existing hardstanding and erection of a replacement one-bedroom residential annex

Authority: Welwyn Hatfield Council
Appeal type: householder · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Householder developments
Inspector: Watson S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of the development plan and the National Planning Policy Framework, including the effect upon openness
The effect of the development upon the character and appearance of the area
If the proposal is found to be inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development

What decided it

The proposed development would have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the existing development due to its increased height, bulk and volume, and therefore fails to meet the criteria for limited infilling or redevelopment of previously developed land under NPPF paragraph 149(g), with no very special circumstances to justify the inappropriate development.

Framework references: 148, 149, 150, 174

Plan policies cited: Policy SP9, Policy SADM16, Policy SADM34

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.

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