®Planning appeal decision
Bell Lane, London Colney, St Albans, AL2 1BZ
Planning appeal 3335284 at Bell Lane, London Colney, St Albans, AL2 1BZ (Hertsmere Borough Council) was allowed on 1 October 2024 by Inspector Brooker M, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and its purposes.
a pitch cover/inflatable dome
- Authority
- Hertsmere Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- leisure-sport · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Brooker M
- Postcode
- AL2 1BZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and its purposes
- whether the proposal would preserve the setting of the nearby grade II* listed building Salisbury Hall
- whether any 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 (VSC) required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The significant public benefits of extensive, free community use of the Dome (including by disabled, minority and health-condition groups), together with biodiversity and Academy benefits, clearly outweighed the Green Belt, heritage and landscape harm, establishing very special circumstances.
the totality of other considerations (community use, biodiversity enhancements and the Academy) clearly outweighed the combined Green Belt inappropriateness/openness harm, the less than substantial heritage harm and the limited landscape harm, so very special circumstances were found to exist
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- SP1CS13SADM26CS14Policy 29ENV 11ENV 12
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 142Paragraph 143Paragraph 144Paragraph 152Paragraph 205Paragraph 206Paragraph 207Paragraph 208Paragraph 56
- Judgments
- Turner v SSCLG & East Dorset Council [2016] EWCA Civ 466
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
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.