®Planning appeal decision
Little Heath Lane, Little Heath, Berkhamstead , HP1 2RY
Planning appeal 3317818 at Little Heath Lane, Little Heath, Berkhamstead , HP1 2RY (Dacorum Borough Council) was dismissed on 14 November 2023 by Inspector Ware P, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt, and the purposes of including land within it.
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
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS5Policy CS24Policy CS25Policy CS28Saved Policy 97
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 174
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 appliedThe 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.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
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- Notice upheld14 July 20263350930Land Adjancet to The Old Brickworks, Spring Garden Lane, Northchurch, Herts, HP4 3GY
- Dismissed17 June 20266006042Land South of A4251 (North of A41), Tring, HP23 5RB
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.