®Planning appeal decision
Clarence House West Common, Harpenden, AL5 2AR
Planning appeal 3300062 at Clarence House West Common, Harpenden, AL5 2AR (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 16 December 2022 by Inspector Buchanan R, 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 relevant development plan policy and the National Planning Policy Framework.
the erection of a new four-bedroom detached dwelling
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Buchanan R
- Postcode
- AL5 2AR
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to relevant development plan policy and the National Planning Policy Framework
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt contrary to Framework paragraph 149 and local policy, and the limited benefits of a single dwelling do not amount to very special circumstances to justify it.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness outweighed the limited social and economic benefits of building a single dwelling, and the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply due to Green Belt protection policies providing clear reasons for refusal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 1 of the St Albans District Local Plan Review 1994
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 149Paragraph 138Paragraph 11
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.