Planning appeal decision
73 Margate Road, Southsea, PO5 1EY
Planning appeal 3335595 at 73 Margate Road, Southsea, PO5 1EY (Portsmouth City Council) was dismissed on 20 November 2024 by Inspector Leonard S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal scheme provides adequate mitigation for impacts upon the Solent Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
Internal partitioning of bedroom 6 on the second floor to create an additional bedroom 7 with ensuite facilities, resulting in change from 6-bedroom to 7-bedroom HMO
- Authority
- Portsmouth City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Leonard S
- Postcode
- PO5 1EY
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal scheme provides adequate mitigation for impacts upon the Solent Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
- Whether the appeal scheme provides appropriate living conditions for future occupiers, having particular regard to internal living space
What decided it
The absence of an executed legal agreement to secure the required mitigation contributions for impacts on the Solent SPAs meant the development would have an in-combination adverse effect on the integrity of the designated habitats sites, conflicting with the Habitats Regulations and the development plan.
The acceptable living conditions for future occupiers did not outweigh the likely significant adverse effect upon the integrity of the Solent SPAs for which there was no adequate mitigation.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy PCS13Policy PCS23
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 186Paragraph 135
- Judgments
- Mansell v Tonbridge and Malling BC & others [2017] EWCA Civ 1314; Gambone v SSCLG
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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