®Planning appeal decision
Land at Barnet Lane, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2HB
the erection of up to 220 dwellings, including 50% affordable housing, self-build/custom-build plots, green infrastructure (including public open space, play area, landscape planting and sustainable drainage systems), ecological enhancements to Woodcock Hill Village Green, new multi-modal vehicular access from Furzehill Road, emergency, pedestrian and cycle access from Carrington Avenue, and associated works and development – with means of access to be determined at this stage and with all other matters reserved
- Authority
- Hertsmere Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Wildsmith D
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development on the openness of the Green Belt, and on the purposes of the Green Belt as set out in the NPPF
- the effect of the proposed development on the landscape, character and appearance of the surrounding area
- whether the appeal proposal would give rise to any other harm
- an assessment of the weight to be given to the benefits of the proposed development
- the extent to which any submitted planning obligations and/or planning conditions would address the impacts of the proposed development
- whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The very substantial weight attributable to the delivery of market and affordable housing, in the context of a severe 1.36-year housing land supply shortfall, clearly outweighed the substantial Green Belt harm and moderate landscape harm, establishing very special circumstances.
The very substantial benefits of market and affordable housing delivery, together with substantial weight to self-build provision and moderate/limited weight to other benefits, clearly outweighed the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and loss of openness plus moderate landscape/character harm, amounting to very special circumstances justifying the grant of permission.
Framework references: 11, 48, 57, 115, 142, 143, 152, 153, 154, 180
Plan policies cited: Policy SP1, Policy CS13, Policy CS1, Policy SADM11, Policy SADM26, Policy CS26
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.