Athol Villa & Woodside, Westbourne Road, College Town, SANDHURST, GU47 0QX

erection of nine dwellings following demolition of two existing dwellings and outbuildings, with associated access and landscaping

Authority: Bracknell Forest Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Nicholls H

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether there are any reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas which are at lower risk of flooding
the effects of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area and whether it would constitute good design
whether the proposal would result in prejudicial effects on highway safety

What decided it

The harm to the character and appearance of the area caused by the overdevelopment and cramped layout of the scheme significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits of housing delivery and sustainable reuse of previously developed land.

The harm to character and appearance significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits of housing delivery, sustainable location and reuse of previously developed land, such that the Framework does not indicate the decision should be taken other than in accordance with the development plan.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy LP18, Policy CS7, Policy EN20, Policy M9, Policy CS23

Judgments cited: Wheatcroft Ltd V SSE [1982]

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.