®Planning appeal decision
162-164 High St, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 1BA
Planning appeal 3341838 at 162-164 High St, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 1BA (Three Rivers District Council) was dismissed on 23 February 2026 by Inspector Harwood A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether at the date the notice was issued, enforcement action could be taken with respect to the development enforced against (ground d).
Without planning permission the material change of use of the Land from its use as 2 dwellinghouses (Nos. 162 and 164 High Street), to its use as a single dwellinghouse incorporating internal structural and other alterations, changes to external fenestration and the removal of a boundary enclosure in rear garden land
- Authority
- Three Rivers District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Harwood A
- Postcode
- WD3 1BA
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether at the date the notice was issued, enforcement action could be taken with respect to the development enforced against (ground d)
- the effect of the development on the supply of housing within Rickmansworth and the district as a whole
- the planning balance of adverse impacts and any benefits of the proposed development
What decided it
The loss of a dwelling in a sustainable, well-serviced urban location contrary to development plan housing policies, combined with the council's inability to demonstrate 5 years' housing land supply, means the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.
The adverse impacts of granting permission (loss of housing supply in a sustainable location, inefficient use of land, conflict with development plan policies) significantly and demonstrably outweigh the limited benefits (improved accessibility and higher standard of accommodation), when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Core Strategy Policy PSP1Core Strategy Policy CP2Site Allocations Local Development Document Policy SA1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Three Rivers
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Notice varied and upheld11 June 20263352724Black Horse Pub, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, WD3 5EG
- Notice upheld23 February 20263341837162-164 High St, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 1BA
- Notice varied and upheld23 October 2025333363537 Creasy Close, Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, WD5 0HS
- Quashed On Legal Grounds17 July 20253349464Ravenswood Farm Church Lane, Sarratt, Rickmansworth, WD3 6HJ
- Notice upheld3 June 202533272987A Wolsey Road, Northwood, HA6 2HN
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.