®Planning appeal decision
67-68 , West Street, Dorking, RH4 1BW
Planning appeal 3324838 at 67-68 , West Street, Dorking, RH4 1BW (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 2 May 2024 by Inspector Francis L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the host building and whether it would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Dorking Conservation Area.
the change of use from commercial to commercial and 9 dwelling houses. (Of these nine flats, flat 8 is a duplex that is situated on top of the existing flat roof to the rear and at first floor with a cone shaped second storey volume clad in tiles), flat 9 is through the addition of a new recessed attic storey, the addition of windows to the North Street elevation, addition of a glazed roof and doorway to a minor void space off the main court, repaving the main court, allocation of a bin and bike store, a new residential entrance off North Street, with associated conservation lights
- Authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Francis L
- Postcode
- RH4 1BW
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the host building and whether it would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Dorking Conservation Area
- The effect upon the living conditions of future occupiers with particular regard to refuse and cycle storage
What decided it
The proposal would cause less than substantial harm to the significance of the Dorking Conservation Area as a designated heritage asset, which provides a clear reason for refusal under paragraph 11(d)(i) of the Framework and outweighs the benefits of housing delivery.
The socio-economic benefits of providing 9 flats in a central location with good access to facilities and employment were not sufficient to outweigh the identified less than substantial harm to the significance of the designated heritage asset
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS14 of the Mole Valley Core Strategy 2009Policy ENV22 of the Mole Valley Local Plan 2000Policy ENV23 of the Mole Valley Local Plan 2000Policy ENV24 of the Mole Valley Local Plan 2000Policy ENV39 of the Mole Valley Local Plan 2000Policy MOV15 of the Mole Valley Local Plan 2000
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
More decisions in Mole Valley District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
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- Dismissed20 October 20266013764Priory Lodge, River Lane, Leatherhead, KT22 0AU
- Dismissed19 October 20266011465Land to the South-East of Yarm Way, Leatherhead, KT22 8RQ
- Dismissed16 October 20266010203High Bank,, Mill Hill Lane, Betchworth, RH3 7LS
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.