Planning appeal decision
Farmside, Fishponds Lane, Westfield, East Sussex, TN35 4SX
Planning appeal 3342884 at Farmside, Fishponds Lane, Westfield, East Sussex, TN35 4SX (Rother District Council) was dismissed on 7 January 2025 by Inspector Francis L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area with particular regard to whether the proposal would conserve and enhance the landscape, scenic and natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape.
a new drive, access and extension to the curtilage of Fishponds
- Authority
- Rother District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Francis L
- Postcode
- TN35 4SX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area with particular regard to whether the proposal would conserve and enhance the landscape, scenic and natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape
- biodiversity, with particular regard to protected species
What decided it
The proposal would cause significant harm to the character and appearance of the High Weald National Landscape and would fail to demonstrate adequate mitigation for impacts on protected species, with no agreed strategy or specific mitigation proposed.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy EN1Policy OSS4Policy RA2Policy RA3Policy DHG8Policy DHG11Policy DHG12Policy EN5Policy DEN1Policy DEN2Policy DEN4
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 189Paragraph 193
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


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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.
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