Springfield Farm, Parkgate Road, Newdigate, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5DZ

Planning appeal 3348019 at Springfield Farm, Parkgate Road, Newdigate, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5DZ (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 31 March 2025 by Inspector Cahalane R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development for the purposes of the Framework and the development plan, including the effect upon the openness of the Green Belt.

To change a manage training area from private use to commercial use and install six number solar powered spot lights

Authority: Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: leisure-sport · Change of use
Inspector: Cahalane R
Postcode: RH5 5DZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development for the purposes of the Framework and the development plan, including the effect upon the openness of the Green Belt
the effect on the surrounding landscape and character of the area
the effect on highway safety
whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The proposal fails to preserve the openness of the Green Belt through both the visual impact of the spot lights and the intensification of use, and no very special circumstances exist to justify the inappropriate development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy EN1Policy EC7Policy EN4Policy EN8
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 154

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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More decisions in Mole Valley District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

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Allowed11 September 20266012763
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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.