®Planning appeal decision
90 Smugglers Lane North, CHRISTCHURCH, BH23 4NL
‘Sever the land at 90 Smugglers Lane North and construct a new 3 bedroom detached dwelling with integral garage and gardens to the front of the site, existing access to remain in situ for existing property with minor alterations, new access to be created for the new dwelling. (This application follows the previously refused scheme application reference: 8/23/0287/FUL).’
- Authority
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Aqbal M
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.
- The effect of the proposed dwelling on the living conditions of its occupiers.
- The effect of the proposal on retained trees.
- Whether the development would be likely to have a significant effect on the integrity of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area, Dorset Heaths Special Area of Conservation, and Dorset Heathlands Ramsar sites.
- Whether the development would be likely to have a significant effect on the integrity of the River Avon Special Area of Conservation, with particular regard to nutrient neutrality.
What decided it
The harm to the character and appearance of the area through the introduction of tandem development and loss of landscaping, combined with the significant overlooking and privacy harm to the proposed dwelling's occupiers, significantly and demonstrably outweighs the limited benefits of providing a single additional dwelling in an area with acute housing land supply shortfall.
The benefits of providing an additional dwelling in an area with acute housing land supply (1.6 years) were afforded limited weight, but the substantial harm to character and appearance and living conditions, contrary to the Framework's aims, significantly and demonstrably outweighed these benefits when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole.
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: Policy HE2 of the Christchurch and East Dorset Local Plan Part 1 - Core Strategy (2014), Policy HE3 of the Christchurch and East Dorset Local Plan, saved Policy H12 of the Consolidated Borough of Christchurch Local Plan Adopted March 2001, modified September 2007, Policy HWNP11 of the Highcliffe and Walkford Neighbourhood Plan (dated January 2023), Policy ME2 of the Christchurch and East Dorset Local Plan Part 1 - Core Strategy, Policy ME1 of the Christchurch and East Dorset Local Plan Part 1 - Core Strategy
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.