Planning appeal decision
Boat House Bistro, Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, TN3 8JH
Planning appeal 3336886 at Boat House Bistro, Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, TN3 8JH (Wealden District Council) was dismissed on 5 September 2024 by Inspector Perrins N, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the High Weald National Landscape, with particular regard to (i) the dark skies of the area, (ii) noise and disturbance from a more intensive use of the building, and (iii) the scale and form of the building.
extensions and alterations to the Boat House Bistro, replacement of the adjacent fishing facility building and change of use to form 6 x 1 bed and 5 x 2 bed tourist units, creation of a café with terrace, with some sailing club facilities retained
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- leisure-sport · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Perrins N
- Postcode
- TN3 8JH
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the High Weald National Landscape, with particular regard to (i) the dark skies of the area, (ii) noise and disturbance from a more intensive use of the building, and (iii) the scale and form of the building
What decided it
The failure to adequately demonstrate that light spill from the development could be controlled to a level that would not materially harm the dark skies of the High Weald National Landscape, a matter of considerable national significance to which great weight must be afforded.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Saved Policy WC14 of the Wealden Core Strategy 2013Policy GD2 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy EN1 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy EN6 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy EN27 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy EN29 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy DC7 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998Policy TM1 of the Wealden Local Plan 1998
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 182Paragraph 191Paragraph 135
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


More decisions in Wealden District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
- Allowed15 September 20266008314Land off Eastbourne Road, Polegate, BN26 5DD
- Allowed7 August 20266006398Bewl Water, Boat House Bistro, Bewlbridge Lane, Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, TN3 8JH
- Dismissed22 July 20266006344Dog Walking Field, Burnt Oak Road, High Hurstwood, TN22 4AE
- Allowed2 June 20266004127The Old Nursery, North Street, Cogger Cross, Horam, tn210lg
- Allowed31 October 20253367636Land West of Limestone Way, Maresfield, East Sussex, TN22 2DP
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.
®