Land South of Chiswell Green Lane, Chiswell Green, St Albans, AL2 3NY

Planning appeal 3313110 at Land South of Chiswell Green Lane, Chiswell Green, St Albans, AL2 3NY (St Albans City Council) was allowed on 24 October 2023 by Inspector Boniface M, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposals amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt and, if so, whether the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances.

demolition of existing structures and construction of up to 391 dwellings (Use Class C3); the provision of land for a new school, open space provision and associated landscaping, internal roads, parking, footpaths, cycleways, drainage, utilities and service infrastructure and new access arrangements. Summary of Recommendation: That the appeal be allowed

Authority: St Albans City Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Boniface M

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposals amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt and, if so, whether the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances
The effect on landscape character and visual amenity
The effect on the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land
The effect on the highway network and highway safety
Whether adequate provision would be made for education
The weight to be given to the need for market and affordable housing in the district

What decided it

The very substantial weight attached to meeting the district's severe and persistently unmet need for market and affordable housing, which clearly outweighed the substantial Green Belt and other harms identified.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt from inappropriateness, loss of openness and conflict with Green Belt purposes, together with lesser landscape, agricultural land and air quality harms, was clearly outweighed by the very substantial benefits of housing and affordable housing delivery plus other significant and moderate benefits, so that very special circumstances existed and both appeals were allowed.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy 1Policy 102Policy S1
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 48Paragraph 56Paragraph 57Paragraph 60Paragraph 63Paragraph 81Paragraph 95Paragraph 111Paragraph 115Paragraph 134Paragraph 147Paragraph 148Paragraph 152Paragraph 153Paragraph 174Paragraph 180

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.

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The decision letter

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

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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.