Land at Church Lane, Underwood, NG16 5HD

Planning appeal 3317486 at Land at Church Lane, Underwood, NG16 5HD (Ashfield District Council) was dismissed on 14 November 2023 by Inspector Hunter A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development upon protected species.

Outline planning permission for the erection of four detached dwellings, new highway access and associated landscaping on vacant land. All matters reserved

Authority: Ashfield District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Hunter A
Postcode: NG16 5HD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development upon protected species
whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies

What decided it

The absence of a complete grass snake survey prior to determination meant the proposal could not be assessed for compliance with Framework paragraphs 174 and 180(a) on biodiversity, and this substantial harm could not be outweighed by the limited benefits of the scheme.

The benefits of the scheme (housing supply contribution, economic benefits, and social benefits from future occupiers) were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the adverse impact of insufficient information to assess effects on protected species, to which substantial weight was attached.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy ST1Policy EV1Policy ST4
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 99Paragraph 149Paragraph 174Paragraph 180Paragraph 203

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

20 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 Ashfield

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

Dismissed28 January 20266001120
Land Between 124 and 142 Church Lane, Selston, Nottinghamshire, NG16 6FD
Allowed3 November 20253366321
Cedar House, Silverhill Lane, Teversal, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 3JJ
Dismissed27 October 20253364793
Whitboro Lodge at 261 Wild Hill, Teversal, Nottinghamshire, NG17 3JF
Allowed19 June 20253356635
Melbourne Farmhouse, 86 Inkerman Road, Selston, Nottinghamshire, NG16 6BN
Dismissed20 January 20253347049
Land Between 124 and 142, Church Lane, Selston, NG16 6FD

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.