Truffles Cafe, High Street, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9DA

Planning appeal 3342988 at Truffles Cafe, High Street, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9DA (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 6 December 2024 by Inspector Carpenter C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal on the integrity of protected European sites, with particular reference to water neutrality.

conversion of the rear café (Class E) to form 1no residential dwelling (Class C3)

Authority: Horsham District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Carpenter C
Postcode: BN5 9DA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposal on the integrity of protected European sites, with particular reference to water neutrality

What decided it

The absence of sufficient objective evidence to demonstrate water neutrality, which prevented the Inspector from being confident that the proposed dwelling would consume no more water than the existing café use, and thus the proposal would likely have a significant adverse effect on the integrity of the protected European sites.

The modest social and economic benefits from provision of one dwelling and additional town centre footfall did not outweigh the harm to the integrity of protected European sites

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy 31 of the Horsham District Planning Framework 2015
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.

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The decision letter

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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.