®Planning appeal decision
Kinketchem and Land to Rear, Peelings Lane, Westham, BN24 5AD
the demolition of a three bedroom bungalow, garage and agricultural outbuildings and erection of up to 5 dwellings with associated highways improvements. All matters reserved other than site access
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Buchanan R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, including the Low Weald landscape
- whether the site would be a suitable location for housing in the context of local and national planning policy for the provision of housing
What decided it
The unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the Low Weald landscape and the rural integrity of Peelings Lane, combined with the site's location outside the defined development boundary and unsuitability for housing under the development plan, outweighs the modest housing supply benefits even in the context of a shortfall in five-year housing land supply.
The modest contribution to housing supply and moderate social and economic benefits were outweighed by the substantial environmental harm to landscape character and appearance, the conflict with the development plan's spatial strategy for housing (given reduced weight due to housing shortfall), and the site's location in the countryside outside the defined development boundary.
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: Saved Policy EN8, Saved Policy EN27, Policy SPO1, Saved Policy EN1, Saved Policy DC17, Saved Policy GD2
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.