17 Upton End Road, Shillington, HITCHIN, Herts, SG5 3PG

to construct a new detached dwelling rear of No. 17 along with associated works following the removal of an existing detached garage, to construct a replacement garage

Authority: Central Bedfordshire
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Cleary D

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
protected species and their habitats, with particular regard to bats
trees

What decided it

The absence of required bat activity surveys and aerial tree inspections to determine the presence of protected species and the unjustified removal of specimen trees meant the development could not be approved despite acceptable character and appearance impacts.

Plan policies cited: Policy HQ8, Policy HQ1, Policy EE3, Policy EE4

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

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What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.
- Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
- Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
- Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
- Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.
Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.
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