®Planning appeal decision
Ravenswood Farm , Church Lane, Sarratt, Hertfordshire, WD3 6HJ
change of use of part of existing barn from agriculture to residential accommodation
- Authority
- Three Rivers District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Hickey A
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, including the effect upon the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- whether the proposal would provide satisfactory living conditions for the future occupiers
- whether the proposal would secure affordable housing
- 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 proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would harm openness and conflict with the purposes of including land within it, and very special circumstances do not exist to justify it.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, combined with harm to character and appearance and failure to provide adequate living conditions, was not clearly outweighed by the claimed benefits of rural worker housing, security, or reduced vehicle trips, such that very special circumstances do not exist.
Framework references: 11, 84, 155, 154
Plan policies cited: Policy CP11, Policy DM2, Policy CP1, Policy CP12, Policy DM1, Policy CP4
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.