Spar Stores, Clematis Cottage, Station Road, Northiam, East Sussex, TN31 6LQ

a new roof over existing shop premises to create two self- contained flats with associated parking

Authority: Rother District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Pearce J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding area
the effect of the proposed development on highway safety
the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupants of neighbouring properties, with particular regard to outlook and daylight

What decided it

The considerable harm to character and appearance combined with the failure to demonstrate safe and suitable highway access significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of housing delivery and retail improvements.

The harm to character and appearance and highway safety, attracting considerable weight, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of providing one additional dwelling and improved retail storage, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.

Framework references: 11, 60

Plan policies cited: Policy DEN2, Policy OSS4, Policy EN3, Policy TR3, Policy DHG9

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.