Town Planner Pro
Free trial
Search appeal decisions

Planning appeal decision

Allowed4 September 20233306792

Land East of Sandy Cross Lane, Heathfield, TN21 8QQ

Planning appeal 3306792 at Land East of Sandy Cross Lane, Heathfield, TN21 8QQ (Wealden District Council) was allowed on 4 September 2023 by Inspector Smith J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, having particular regard to any effect on the setting of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Outline planning application with all matters reserved bar access, for the erection of up to 8 self-build/custom housebuilding dwellings and ancillary works

Authority
Wealden District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Smith J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, having particular regard to any effect on the setting of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
  • whether the site would provide a suitable location for housing, having regard to its accessibility to services and facilities
  • whether Sandy Cross Lane would provide safe and suitable vehicular access to the proposed dwellings
  • the effect on biodiversity with particular regard to habitat connectivity

What decided it

The shortfall in five-year housing land supply triggered the presumption in favour of sustainable development, and the benefits of housing delivery, self-build provision, and affordable housing contributions outweighed the moderate harm to character and appearance and limited conflict with settlement boundary policies.

the benefits of housing delivery, self-build housing provision, and affordable housing contributions (given significant weight) outweighed the moderate harm to character and appearance and limited conflict with settlement boundary policies (given moderate and limited weight respectively), applying the presumption in favour of sustainable development

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy GD2Policy DC17Policy EN1Policy EN6Policy EN12Policy EN14Policy EN27Policy TR3Policy AFH1Policy WCS12Policy WCS14Spatial Planning Objective SPO1Spatial Planning Objective SPO7Spatial Planning Objective SPO12Spatial Planning Objective SPO13
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 64Paragraph 130

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 applied

The 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.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

21 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision
An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter
Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.
Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app
Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.
Start your free trial

More decisions in Wealden District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

  1. Dismissed25 September 20266009517
    Fairfield Cottage, Cross In Hand Road, Heathfield, TN21 0SN
  2. Dismissed14 April 20266003970
    Little Warren Barn, The Warren, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 1UB
  3. Dismissed27 January 20263370047
    Hedera Cottage North Street, Punnetts Town, Heathfield, TN21 9DT
  4. Dismissed22 January 20263372124
    Birch Holt, Marlpits Lane, Ninfield, East Sussex, TN33 9LD
  5. Allowed31 December 20253366478
    Snatchells Farm, Cross In Hand Road, Heathfield, TN21 0LS

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.