Forest Green Farm, Mill Lane, Forest Green, DORKING, RH5 5SJ

erection of 1 no. bungalow following demolition of existing of non-agricultural buildings including bio-diversity enhancements

Authority: Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Miles H

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework 2024 and any relevant development plan policies
The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area including with regard to the Surrey Hills National Landscape
The effect of the proposed development on biodiversity

What decided it

The substantial harm to the character and appearance of the Surrey Hills National Landscape caused by the introduction of a domestic developed urbanising appearance to a rural site, which outweighed the modest benefits of the proposal.

Framework references: 11, 154

Plan policies cited: Policy EN1, Policy S1, Policy EN8, Policy EN4, Policy EN9

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.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.