North Down Christmas Tree Plantation, Mayfield Road, Five Ashes, East Sussex, TN20 6JG

conversion of redundant barn to a single residential dwelling together with associated provision of residential curtilage, parking and landscaping

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

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
whether the building is suitable for a residential conversion
whether the appeal site is an appropriate location for a residential use, with regard to the development strategy and accessibility of facilities and services

What decided it

The significantly harmful effect on the character and appearance of the High Weald AONB, combined with failure to comply with Local Plan policies on rural building conversion and locational appropriateness, outweighed the limited benefit of providing one dwelling in an area with housing shortfall.

The limited benefits of providing a new dwelling would not outweigh the collective harms to the High Weald AONB and conflict with the strategic locational objectives of the development plan.

Framework references: 80, 219, 11

Plan policies cited: SPO1, SPO13, EN1, EN6, EN14, EN27, WCS6, GD2, DC17, DC6, DC8, WCS12, SPO7

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.

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