®Planning appeal decision
Afton Cottage, Adlers Lane, Westhumble, DORKING, Surrey, RH5 6AS
demolition of outbuildings and erection of 1 No. dwelling together with associated access, parking and landscaping
- Authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Buchanan R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including its effect on the openness of the Green Belt, having regard to local and national planning policy
- its effect on the character of the area surrounding the site
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would cause substantial harm to openness and notable harm to character, and the modest housing supply benefits do not clearly outweigh this harm to amount to very special circumstances.
The substantial harm to Green Belt openness and notable harm to character were weighed against modest housing supply benefits and self-build considerations; the harm substantially outweighed the benefits and very special circumstances were not established.
Framework references: 11, 154
Plan policies cited: LP Policies ENV22, LP Policies ENV23, LP Policies ENV24, CS Policy CS14
Judgments cited: Julian Wood v SSCLG and Gravesham Borough Council [2015] EWCA Civ 195
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.