®Planning appeal decision
Little Heath Lane, Little Heath, Berkhamstead , HP1 2RY
the erection of a 25 MW Solar PV Array, comprising ground-mounted solar PV panels, vehicular access including internal access track, landscaping and associated infrastructure including security fencing, CCTV cameras, and grid connection infrastructure including transformers, substation compound buildings and cabling route to the point of connection
- Authority
- Dacorum Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Ware P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt, and the purposes of including land within it.
- The effect of the development on the landscape character of the area.
- Whether the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development.
What decided it
The substantial harm to the Green Belt (by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and conflict with Green Belt purposes), combined with landscape and AONB setting harm, was not clearly outweighed by the significant weight given to renewable energy benefits, so very special circumstances did not exist.
the substantial Green Belt harm together with moderate landscape and AONB setting harm was not clearly outweighed by the significant weight given to renewable energy benefits and very limited weight given to economic benefits, so the balance tipped against the proposal
Framework references: 174
Plan policies cited: Policy CS5, Policy CS24, Policy CS25, Policy CS28, Saved Policy 97
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.