®Planning appeal decision
Land adj to Ghyllside, Station Road, Northiam, TN31 2QD
demolition of existing dilapidated residential garage to provide a new two bedroom, 1.5 storey detached residential dwelling. All with associated parking and landscaping
- Authority
- Rother District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Buchanan R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether there would be harm or disturbance to Great Crested Newts
- the effect of the proposal on the living conditions of the occupiers of Corner Croft with respect to privacy, and on Ghyllside with respect to natural light, outlook and private garden space
- whether it would provide satisfactory living conditions for future occupiers, having regard to private garden space
- its effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
What decided it
The failure to establish that there would be no harm or disturbance to Great Crested Newts, combined with unacceptable harm to the privacy of Corner Croft occupiers, meant the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits.
The modest social and economic benefits of a single house and housing supply contribution were outweighed by significant environmental harm (unestablished GCN impact) and social harm (privacy loss to neighbouring occupiers), such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: Policy DEN4, CS Policy OSS4(ii), LP Policy DHG7, CS Policy OSS4(i), CS Policies OSS4, CS Policy EN3, LP Policy DEN2
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.