®Planning appeal decision
Land at Povey Cross Farm, Reigate Road, Hookwood, Surrey, TN16 1BT
Planning appeal 3347210 at Land at Povey Cross Farm, Reigate Road, Hookwood, Surrey, TN16 1BT (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 11 April 2025 by Inspector Nicholls H, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the scheme would adequately address any risk of flooding and avoid the increased risk of flooding elsewhere.
outline application with all matters reserved except access for the demolition of one residential dwelling (Use Class C3) and delivery of up to 116 new homes (Use Class C3), up to 4,250sqm floorspace for specialist housing for older persons (Use Class C2), up to 350sqm Use Class E floorspace, creation of a new vehicular access, public open space, landscaping and associated works
- Authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Nicholls H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the scheme would adequately address any risk of flooding and avoid the increased risk of flooding elsewhere
- whether the proposed density could be adequately accommodated on the site whilst creating a high quality of development
- whether the location of the housing for older people would be suitable having regard to the location of services, facilities and quality of living environment
- whether education contributions secured by planning obligation are necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms
What decided it
The Inspector was not satisfied, given the fixed points of access and unresolved flood modelling, that the scheme would be safe from flooding and avoid increasing flood risk elsewhere, engaging the strong reason for refusal under NPPF paragraph 11d)i).
The substantial benefit of housing delivery, significant benefit of affordable housing, and modest benefits from older persons' housing, economic activity, open space and biodiversity enhancements did not outweigh the unresolved conflict with flood risk policies, so the decision was taken in accordance with the development plan and the appeal was dismissed.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy DS42Policy INF3Policy H6Policy D1Policy D2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 170
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Mole Valley District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed18 September 20266011498Woodstock House, Mole Street, Ockley, RH5 5PB
- Allowed8 July 20263362325Recreation Ground, Barnett Wood Lane, Ashtead, KT21 2BZ
- Allowed21 May 20263373058Land East of Cobham Road and South of the River Mole, Cobham Road, Bookham, Surrey, KT11 3QH
- Allowed6 March 20263375794Unit 3 Crouch Industrial Estate, Barnett Wood Lane, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7DG
- Allowed9 February 20263367463Land to the Rear of Cricketers Close , Cricketers Close, Ockley , Surrey , RH5 5BA
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.