®Planning appeal decision
Tamworth Farm, Dean Oak Lane, Leigh, Reigate, RH2 8PY
creation of 3 No. dwellings following demolition of existing barns; revised application further to permission granted under MO/2022/0439 for conversion of existing buildings into 3 dwellings following demolition of lean-to extensions
- Authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Buchanan R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to local and national planning policy
- if it is inappropriate development, its effect on the openness of the Green Belt
- its effect on the character and appearance of the area
- its effect on a protected species, namely great crested newts
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, or any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations to amount to very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would harm openness and character, with inadequate protection for great crested newts, and the extant permission already delivers the same number of dwellings so there is no net housing benefit to outweigh these harms.
Although the Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and the tilted balance is engaged, the absence of net housing gain due to the extant permission, combined with substantial harm to the Green Belt and significant harm to character and appearance and protected species, means the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply and the benefits do not outweigh the harm.
Framework references: 11, 12, 154, 155, 99
Plan policies cited: Policy CS1(3), Policy CS13, Policy CS14, Policy CS15, Policy ENV4, Policy ENV15, Policy ENV22, Policy ENV23, Policy ENV24
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.