®Planning appeal decision
Land off Clophill Road, Maulden, Maulden , Bedfordshire , MK45 2AA
Planning appeal 3347214 at Land off Clophill Road, Maulden, Maulden , Bedfordshire , MK45 2AA (Central Bedfordshire) was dismissed on 31 January 2025 by Inspector Bell-Williamson J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposed residential development, with regard to the effect on a designated countryside gap and on the character and appearance of the appeal site and surrounding area.
construction of 29 dwellings (bungalows) with associated infrastructure, landscaping, attenuation, car and cycle parking and circulation areas. Includes ten affordable dwellings and three self/custom build plots
- Authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Bell-Williamson J
- Postcode
- MK45 2AA
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposed residential development, with regard to the effect on a designated countryside gap and on the character and appearance of the appeal site and surrounding area
- Whether the proposal would meet relevant standards for vehicular access
- The effect of the proposal on parking and highway safety, with regard to the provision of on-site visitor parking
- The effect of the proposal on highway safety, with regard to the adequacy of on-site turning space for vehicles servicing the proposed pumping station
- Whether the Council is able to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites
What decided it
The material harm to the designated countryside gap and the character and appearance of the locality, combined with conflict with up-to-date development plan policies, outweighed the benefits of the proposal.
The significant benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing, self-build provision, and economic benefits were outweighed by the substantial harm to the designated countryside gap and character and appearance of the area, and conflict with up-to-date development plan and Framework policies.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP7Policy M1Policy SP5Policy EE5Policy EE4Policy HQ1Policy M3Policy T2Policy T3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 78Paragraph 135
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
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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.