371 Norwood Road, LONDON, SE27 9BQ

described as ‘continued use as 4 flats’

Authority: London Borough of Lambeth
Appeal type: ldc · Lawful Development Certificate
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Other minor developments
Inspector: Bond V

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant a certificate of lawful use or development was well-founded, turning upon whether the existing use described in application documents was lawful as at the date of the LDC application

What decided it

The cumulative ambiguities and gaps in the evidence, particularly the lack of continuous documentation of occupation and the inconsistencies between different pieces of evidence, meant the appellant failed to discharge the burden of proof on the balance of probability that the use as four flats had been continuous for the required four-year period.

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