Planning appeal decision
The Piggeries, Benington Road, Walkern, Herts, SG2 7HX
Planning appeal 3327490 at The Piggeries, Benington Road, Walkern, Herts, SG2 7HX (East Hertfordshire District Council) was dismissed on 18 March 2024 by Inspector Jones H, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
the erection of a rural worker's dwelling to replace existing mobile home
- Authority
- East Hertfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Jones H
- Postcode
- SG2 7HX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
- if the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the harm, by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The appellant failed to demonstrate an essential need for the rural worker's dwelling or that no suitable alternative accommodation existed, so the substantial Green Belt harm was not clearly outweighed by other considerations.
The limited weight given to the housing supply shortfall, the mobile home occupation and other considerations did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and loss of openness, so very special circumstances were not made out.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GBR1Policy HOU5Policy 10
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 84Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
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 East Hertfordshire District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
- Allowed28 October 20266008487The Ranch House, Amwell Hill, Great Amwell, Ware, SG12 9QZ
- Allowed14 October 2026601275023 Bishops Road, Tewin Wood, Tewin, AL6 0NP
- Dismissed28 September 20266006224Land Near Fanshawes Ware Park, Ware, SG12 0DX
- Dismissed25 September 20266006716Little Orchard, London Road, Spellbrook, Hertfordshire, CM23 4BA
- Notice upheld3 July 20263342403Brookfield Farm Barns, West End Road, Wormley West End, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7QN
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.
®