®Planning appeal decision
Searches Farm Searches Lane, Bedmond, Abbots Langley, WD5 0SB
Planning appeal 3297340 at Searches Farm Searches Lane, Bedmond, Abbots Langley, WD5 0SB (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 26 January 2023 by Inspector Parsons J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the scheme is inappropriate development for the purposes of the National Planning Policy Framework and the Development Plan.
the redevelopment of previously developed land comprising the demolition of existing buildings and structures, change of use of barns from mixed use B2 (Joinery workshops) and Sui Generis (gun club clubhouse) to Class C3a (residential) to create one 2-bedroom dwelling and two 3-bedroom dwellings, and the construction of five 4-bedrom dwellings, a well-house, water tanks and associated car parking, landscaping and a new access road
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Parsons J
- Postcode
- WD5 0SB
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the scheme is inappropriate development for the purposes of the National Planning Policy Framework and the Development Plan
- the openness of the Green Belt
- the setting of a Grade II listed building, known as the Barn at Searches Farm
- if the scheme is inappropriate development, whether harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it
What decided it
The combination of inappropriate development causing substantial harm to Green Belt openness and less-than-substantial harm to the listed building's setting, which was not clearly outweighed by the housing and economic benefits given the availability of a less harmful fallback position.
The housing, economic and environmental benefits were outweighed by the substantial harm to Green Belt openness by reason of inappropriateness, the less-than-substantial harm to the heritage asset, and the fact that a fallback planning permission would achieve similar benefits with less harmful effects, such that very special circumstances did not exist.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 1 of the St Albans Local Plan Review 1994Policy 86 of the St Albans Local Plan ReviewPolicy S5 of the St Stephen Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2019-2036
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 149Paragraph 202
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.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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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.