Land to the North of Leighton Road, Hockliffe, LU7 9NE

Change of Use from Agriculture to Dog Walking Field (Sui Generis)

Authority: Central Bedfordshire
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: leisure-sport · Other minor developments
Inspector: Catcheside E

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the site is in a suitable location for the proposed use, having regard to relevant development plan policies for rural diversification and leisure facilities, and the accessibility of the site
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area

What decided it

The site's suitability for rural leisure diversification, combined with the retention of the green field character and the absence of harm to landscape character, outweighed the location outside the settlement boundary and accessibility constraints.

Framework references: 12, 56

Plan policies cited: Policy SP7, Policy EMP4, Policy HQ1, Policy EE5, Policy EE4, Policy EE8

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

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What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.
- Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
- Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
- Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
- Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.
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