®Planning appeal decision
Land West of Reigate Road, Hookwood, Horley, Surrey, RH6 0AY
outline application with all matters reserved except means of access for residential development of up to 446 dwellings (Use Class C3), community building(s) up to 1,500sqm (Use Class E and/or F), gypsy and traveller pitches up to 0.2ha, public open space, landscaping, surface water drainage and all associated infrastructure
- Authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Wright Y
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the openness of the Green Belt and on the purposes of including land within it
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area
- The effect of the proposal on nearby listed buildings
- Whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The cumulative weight of public benefits, particularly housing delivery (including affordable housing), the eLP site allocation, and other identified benefits, clearly outweighed the Green Belt and other harms, establishing very special circumstances.
The substantial harm from inappropriateness together with the other identified harms (openness, Green Belt purposes, character and appearance, and heritage setting) were clearly outweighed by the public benefits (housing including affordable housing, self-build/custom-build provision, gypsy and traveller pitches, community building, open space/biodiversity net gain, economic benefits and sustainable location, plus the eLP allocation), amounting to very special circumstances justifying the development.
Framework references: 11, 48, 57, 77, 115, 152, 153, 208
Plan policies cited: CS Policy CS1, CS Policy CS2, CS Policy CS4, CS Policy CS14, LP Policy ENV22, LP Policy ENV23, LP Policy ENV24, eLP Policy DS41
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.