Pollards Farm, The Common, Kinsbourne Green, Harpenden, AL5 3PE

reconstruction of former west range hay barn

Authority: St Albans City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Other minor developments
Inspector: Woodwards O

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the special architectural or historic interest of the Grade II Listed building, 'Pollards Farmhouse', including in terms of how the building is experienced in its setting
whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including, if necessary, consideration of the effect of the works on the openness of the Green Belt
if inappropriate development, whether or not any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, are clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the 'very special circumstances' required to justify the works

What decided it

The harm to the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building, assessed as mid-point less than substantial harm, clearly outweighed the limited public benefits of the proposal when applying the heritage balance test.

Framework references: 154, 212, 215

Plan policies cited: Policy 86, Policy 1, Policy 13, Policy 69, Policy 72

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.

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.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

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