Planning appeal decision
Withybush Farm , Knowle Lane, Cranleigh, GU6 8JP
Planning appeal 3327843 at Withybush Farm , Knowle Lane, Cranleigh, GU6 8JP (Waverley Borough Council) was dismissed on 13 March 2024 by Inspector Buchanan R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the site would be a suitable location for the dwelling having regard to the WBC development plan spatial strategy and relevant national planning policy in this respect.
conversion of the barn to form a single residential unit following partial demolition of part of the barn with parking for four cars
- Authority
- Waverley Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Buchanan R
- Postcode
- GU6 8JP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site would be a suitable location for the dwelling having regard to the WBC development plan spatial strategy and relevant national planning policy in this respect
- whether future occupiers of the dwelling would be isolated from everyday services and facilities and dependent on private vehicles
What decided it
The proposal would result in an isolated home in the countryside contrary to the development plan spatial strategy and would create unacceptable dependency on private vehicles for access to services and facilities, and these harms have substantial weight that outweighs the housing supply benefits even under the tilted balance.
The housing land supply shortfall (3.89 years) engaged the tilted balance under Framework paragraph 11(d), but the adverse impacts of locating residential development in an unsuitable countryside location with high car dependency had substantial weight against the appeal and significantly and demonstrably outweighed the limited benefits of delivering a single dwelling, so the tilted balance did not apply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- LPP1 Policy SP2LPP1 Policy SP1LPP1 Policy ST1LPP1 Policy RE1LPP2 Policy DM15
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 12Paragraph 84
- Judgments
- Braintree District Council v SSCLG & Ors [2017] EWHC 2743 (Admin); Braintree DC v SSCLG, Greyread Ltd & Granville Developments Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 610
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
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More decisions in Waverley Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
- Dismissed22 October 20266013698Markwick Farmhouse, Markwick Lane, Godalming, GU8 4BE
- Allowed22 October 20266006447Land At Alfold Farm, Loxwood Road, Alfold, Cranleigh, GU6 8HP
- Dismissed16 October 202660115832 Fir Cottage, Portsmouth Road, Milford, GU8 5DY
- Allowed14 October 20266011929Loxleigh Lodge, The Reeds Road, Frensham, GU10 3BP
- Allowed14 October 20266008502Land West of Loxwood Road, Alfold, GU6 8HR
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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