®Planning appeal decision
Land South and East of The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Stag Hill, The Chase, Guildford, GU2 7TN
Planning appeal 3330618 at Land South and East of The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Stag Hill, The Chase, Guildford, GU2 7TN (Guildford Borough Council) was dismissed on 24 May 2024 by Inspector Bristow T, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal to the special interest and significance of heritage assets, with reference to design and landscape context.
the demolition of existing Cathedral Close dwellings and erection of 124 no. residential units (including affordable housing) with associated engineering works, access, landscaping, parking and ancillary works
- Authority
- Guildford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Bristow T
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal to the special interest and significance of heritage assets, with reference to design and landscape context
What decided it
The Inspector found that the harm to the setting and significance of Guildford Cathedral was not outweighed by the proposal's benefits, particularly given the absence of justification (including viability evidence) for why a less harmful scheme could not achieve similar benefits.
The less than substantial harm to the significance and setting of the Cathedral, combined with adverse landscape and visual effects, was not outweighed by the public benefits (including affordable housing delivery and the Cathedral endowment), given the lack of justification for the scale of harm and absence of evidence that a less harmful scheme could not achieve similar benefits.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- LPSS policy S1LPSS policy D3LPSS policy A15LPSS policy D1LPSS policy S3LPSS policy H2LPSS policy P5DMP policy D18DMP policy D23DMP policy D4DMP policy ID4
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 77Paragraph 131Paragraph 135Paragraph 195Paragraph 204Paragraph 205Paragraph 206Paragraph 208Paragraph 209Paragraph 212Paragraph 214
- Judgments
- Barnwell; Bramshill; Palmer; Langley Park; East Quayside; Trusthouse Forte Hotels Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment (1986) 53 P. & C.R. 239
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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What an account adds to this decision
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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.