Fairview Farm, Forest Road, Hurst, RG40 5SA

without planning permission, the material change of use of the Land to a mixed commercial and storage use and the erection of three buildings

Authority: Wokingham Borough Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector: Walker A

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the development upon the character and appearance of the countryside location (Appeals A, P and Q)
the effect of the development upon the living conditions of neighbours particularly as regards noise and activity from comings and goings (Appeal A)
the effect of the development upon the character and appearance of the countryside location and upon biodiversity (Appeals N and R)

What decided it

The significant harm caused by the developments to the character and appearance of the countryside location and Valued Landscape outweighed the benefits and was not offset by any other material considerations.

the moderate weight given to the rural economic benefits of the enterprise did not outweigh the significant harm to the character and appearance of the countryside location and the conflict with the development plan

Framework references: 180

Plan policies cited: CP1, CP3, CP11, CC03, TB21, TB23

Judgments cited: Gabbitas v SSE & Newham BC [1985] JPL 630; Sage v SSETR & Maidstone BC [2003] UKHL 22

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.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.