®Planning appeal decision
2 Warren Farm Cottage,, Warren Farm Lane, Eridge, TN3 9JR
retrospective change of use of annexe currently used as garage/workshop and art studio to separate self-contained dwelling
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Harley S
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site is an appropriate location for a dwelling taking into account local and national spatial planning policy
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect on the Ashdown Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area (SPA), and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
What decided it
The Inspector could not confidently conclude that the proposal would not have a harmful effect on the Ashdown Forest protected habitats due to insufficient information on the extent and mechanism of proposed financial contributions and lack of confirmation from Natural England, which when combined with the site's poor accessibility and conflict with the spatial strategy, outweighed the benefits of adding a dwelling.
The benefits of adding a much-needed dwelling and no harm to character and appearance carried substantial weight but were outweighed by significant weight given to the site's poor accessibility, conflict with the spatial strategy, and inability to rule out harm to protected habitats.
Framework references: 11, 80, 176
Plan policies cited: Saved Policy GD2, Saved Policy EN1, Saved Policy EN6, Saved Policy EN7, Saved Policy EN15(1), Saved Policy EN27, Saved Policy DC8, Saved Policy DC17, Policy SPO1, Policy SPO7, Policy WCS6, Policy WCS12, Policy WCS14
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.