Planning appeal decision
1 French Gardens, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 2AJ
Planning appeal 3335062 at 1 French Gardens, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 2AJ (Elmbridge Borough Council) was dismissed on 14 August 2024 by Inspector Hickey A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.
a terrace of 3 two-storey houses with rooms in the roof space, dormer windows, parking and associated landscaping following demolition of existing dwelling and outbuildings
- Authority
- Elmbridge Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Hickey A
- Postcode
- KT11 2AJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- whether or not the proposal would be satisfactory in respect of housing mix and density
What decided it
The unacceptable harm to character and appearance combined with the failure to provide an appropriate housing mix for identified local needs meant the proposal conflicted with the development plan as a whole with no material considerations to indicate otherwise.
The social and economic benefits of boosting local housing stock and providing family-sized energy-efficient homes did not outweigh the identified harms to character and appearance and the mismatch with housing mix needs.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS10Policy CS17Policy CS19Policy DM2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 128
- Judgments
- Bernard Wheatcroft Ltd v SSE [JPL 1982 P37]; Holborn Studios Ltd v The Council of the London Borough of Hackney [2017] EWHC 2823 (Admin)
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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With an account
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.
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