Planning appeal decision
Orchard House , Holywell Hill, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1BX
Planning appeal 3303181 at Orchard House , Holywell Hill, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1BX (St Albans City Council) was allowed on 2 February 2023 by Inspector Boughton A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the garage, as proposed to be altered and converted, would be accommodation ancillary to Orchard House.
conversion of garage into habitable space ancillary to the main dwelling
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- householder · Householder (HAS)
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Householder developments
- Inspector
- Boughton A
- Postcode
- AL1 1BX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the garage, as proposed to be altered and converted, would be accommodation ancillary to Orchard House
What decided it
The Inspector determined that the provisions of Policy 12 requiring extensions and avoiding independent access attract only nominal weight in light of NPPF housing supply objectives and the sustainable location, and that conditions can adequately control ancillary occupation.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 12 of the City and District of St Albans District Local Plan Review 1994Policy 70 of the City and District of St Albans District Local Plan Review 1994
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.
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