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Dismissed15 July 20243297866

Ruins of Betchworth Castle, Coach Road, Brockham, Surrey, RH3 7JW

Planning appeal 3297866 at Ruins of Betchworth Castle, Coach Road, Brockham, Surrey, RH3 7JW (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 15 July 2024 by Inspector Ayres J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: 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.

Lowering of ground level along southern edge of schedule by approximately 3m to reveal medieval defensive profile and erection of a dwelling, garden walls, potting shed, and associated works including drilling a water borehole and erection of outhouse and greenhouse. Ground raising to north of schedule to improve access with disposal of excavated material on the wider site

Authority
Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Ayres J
Postcode
RH3 7JW

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 of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
  • The effect of the proposal on the historic environment
  • Whether the proposal would provide adequate living conditions for occupiers
  • Whether the proposal would satisfactorily manage groundwater
  • The effect of the proposal on the biodiversity of the site
  • Whether any 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 very strong harm to the Green Belt through inappropriateness and loss of openness, combined with significant harm to the AONB and the setting of the listed building, with no secured public benefits to outweigh these harms, means very special circumstances do not exist to justify the development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy CS1Policy CS14Policy CS15Policy ENV22Policy ENV23Policy ENV24Policy ENV43Policy ENV67Policy ENV15Policy P2
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 182Paragraph 208Paragraph 84

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 Mole Valley District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024

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  5. Allowed11 September 20266012763
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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.