®Planning appeal decision
1 Green Park, Copperkins Lane, AMERSHAM, Bucks, HP6 5SS
without planning permission, a material change of use of the Land to a caravan site for residential purposes by virtue of the stationing caravans and the laying of hardstanding to facilitate the use
- Authority
- Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area *
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Change of use
- Inspector
- Hartley D
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt
- the effect of the development on the integrity of the Chiltern Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area including the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- the effect of the development on the risk of flooding
- the effect of the development on biodiversity
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness in the Green Belt, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
- whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt (hardstanding notice)
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area including The Chilterns AONB (hardstanding notice)
What decided it
The unresolved risk of harm to the integrity of the Chiltern Beechwoods SAC (no completed planning obligation securing SANG/SAMMS mitigation) combined with the finding of inappropriate development in the Green Belt provided strong reasons for refusal that were not clearly outweighed by the other considerations relied upon.
the substantial harm from inappropriate development in the Green Belt and the unmitigated risk to the SAC's integrity were not clearly outweighed by the benefits of unmet Traveller pitch need, unmet general housing supply, personal circumstances of occupiers, the best interests of children, and the partly previously-developed nature of the land, so very special circumstances were not established and the appeals failed
Framework references: 11, 110, 115, 143, 153, 154, 155, 180, 189, 193, 195
Plan policies cited: Policy GB2, Policy CS14, Policy CP4, Policy CS22, Policy LSQ1, Policy GC10, Policy CS4, Policy CS24, Policy GC1
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.