®Planning appeal decision
St. Crispins Rc Church, Church Place, Pulborough, RH20 1AF
Planning appeal 3303406 at St. Crispins Rc Church, Church Place, Pulborough, RH20 1AF (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 12 July 2023 by Inspector Hickey A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether or not the proposed development would affect the integrity of the Arun Valley Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, and Ramsar Site.
demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment of the site to provide 7 dwellings with associated access, parking, and landscaping
- Authority
- Horsham District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Hickey A
- Postcode
- RH20 1AF
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the proposed development would affect the integrity of the Arun Valley Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, and Ramsar Site
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the conservation area and the setting of the nearby Grade II listed Ramblers
What decided it
The proposal fails to demonstrate that it would achieve water neutrality and therefore the Inspector cannot conclude that it would not adversely affect the protected Arun Valley sites, which provides a clear reason for refusal under Framework paragraph 11(d) notwithstanding the lack of five-year housing land supply.
Although the Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and the development would re-use a brownfield site and contribute to housing stock, the Framework policies protecting European Sites provide a clear reason for refusal, and the modest housing benefits do not outweigh the harm identified in relation to the protected habitat sites.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 31Policy 32Policy 33Policy 34Policy 37
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
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.