Town Planner Pro
Free trial
Search appeal decisions

Planning appeal decision

Notice varied and upheld25 July 20243337697

7 Plaistow Road, Dunsfold, Godalming, GU8 4PG

Planning appeal 3337697 at 7 Plaistow Road, Dunsfold, Godalming, GU8 4PG (Waverley Borough Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 25 July 2024 by Inspector Willows P, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the development is in accordance with local and national policies concerning the location of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation.

Material change of use of land to allow for stationing of 5 additional caravans (extension of existing caravan site); engineering works comprising alteration of levels and hardstanding; soft and hard landscaping (part retrospective)

Authority
Waverley Borough Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
Inspector
Willows P
Postcode
GU8 4PG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the development is in accordance with local and national policies concerning the location of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation
  • The effect of the development on ancient woodland and the Chiddingfold Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
  • The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area and the local landscape
  • The effect of the development on protected species and their habitat
  • Whether any harm arising from the development is outweighed by other considerations, including any personal or general need for the accommodation provided by the development and any other benefits arising from the development as proposed

What decided it

The clear and, in some respects, irreversible harm to the ancient woodland and Chiddingfold Forest SSSI was not clearly outweighed by the benefits of the scheme, and there were no wholly exceptional reasons or adequate compensation strategy as required by NPPF paragraph 186.

The benefits of providing Gypsy and Traveller accommodation and allowing existing occupiers (including a child) to remain did not outweigh the harm to the SSSI/ancient woodland, landscape character and protected species, and the resulting conflict with the development plan as a whole, so the appeals were dismissed.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy AHN4Policy DS15Policy NE1Policy NE2Policy RE3
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 180Paragraph 186
Judgments
Winchester CC v SSCLG [2013] EWHC 101 (Admin) and [2015] EWCA Civ 563; Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd v the Scottish Ministers [2015] UKSC 74; R (Cherkley Campaign Ltd) v Mole Valley DC [2014] EWCA Civ 567

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 applied

The 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.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

24 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision
An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter
Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.
Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app
Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.
Start your free trial

More decisions in Waverley Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024

  1. Notice varied and upheld17 April 20263374518
    Highfield Heights Farm Guildford Road, Runfold, Farnham, GU10 1PN
  2. Dismissed11 March 20263361018
    Busbridge Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1PU
  3. Allowed5 February 20263375453
    Land Centred Coordinates 485912 137930, Green Lane, Churt
  4. Notice varied and upheld7 January 20263348184
    Hyde Orchards, Hyde Lane, Churt, Farnham, GU10 2LP
  5. Allowed17 November 20253361061
    Land South of Clock House Lane, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 0AP

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.