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Notice upheld4 July 20253321338

Land at The Bell Public House, 4 Town Lane, Benington, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 7LA

Planning appeal 3321338 at Land at The Bell Public House, 4 Town Lane, Benington, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 7LA (East Hertfordshire District Council) was dismissed on 4 July 2025 by Inspector Buchanan R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether there has been a material change of use from a public house to independent residential use.

‘Without planning permission, the unauthorised material change of use from a Public House to a solely residential use’

Authority
East Hertfordshire District Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
change of use · Change of use
Inspector
Buchanan R
Postcode
SG2 7LA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether there has been a material change of use from a public house to independent residential use
  • Whether such a change of use constitutes a breach of planning control requiring express planning permission

What decided it

The significant change in the nature and character of use of the building since 2020, with a spread of residential use downstairs and no evidence of actual use by visiting patrons, meant the living accommodation could no longer be regarded as incidental to the pub and constituted independent residential use requiring planning permission.

The decision letter

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More decisions in East Hertfordshire District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

  1. Allowed6 July 20263359515
    1 Vine Cottages, Hare Street, Herts, Herts, SG9 0EG
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  4. Notice varied and upheld24 June 20263345459
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  5. Planning permission granted24 June 20263342391
    Land South of Alston Oak, Harlow Road, Sawbridgeworth, CM21 0AJ

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.

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