®Planning appeal decision
Woodlands Farm, Burnt Oak Lane, Dorking, RH5 5BJ
Planning appeal 3309219 at Woodlands Farm, Burnt Oak Lane, Dorking, RH5 5BJ (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 18 August 2023 by Inspector Glassar S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
the erection of 5 new dwellings following demolition of existing outbuildings
- Authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Glassar S
- Postcode
- RH5 5BJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt which by definition is harmful, and the harm to the Green Belt and other identified harms are not clearly outweighed by other considerations, so very special circumstances do not exist.
The conflict with Green Belt policy and the harm to openness and character and appearance are not outweighed by the limited benefits of the scheme, and the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply due to the clear Green Belt conflict.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS13Policy CS14Policy CS15Policy ENV4Policy ENV22Policy ENV23Policy ENV24Policy ENV50
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 137Paragraph 148Paragraph 149Paragraph 150
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
More decisions in Mole Valley District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
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- Dismissed16 September 20266008528Henhurst Lodge, Beare Green Road, Beare Green, RH5 4PX
- Allowed11 September 20266012763Fourays, Horsham Road, Capel, Dorking, RH5 5LF
- Dismissed9 September 20266005433Land Opposite Manor House,, Headley, Headley Common, KT18 6NA
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.