Town Planner Pro
Free trial
Search appeal decisions

Planning appeal decision

Notice varied and upheld7 January 20263348184

Hyde Orchards, Hyde Lane, Churt, Farnham, GU10 2LP

Planning appeal 3348184 at Hyde Orchards, Hyde Lane, Churt, Farnham, GU10 2LP (Waverley Borough Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 7 January 2026 by Inspector Bond V, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the material change of use represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt and the effect on openness.

Without planning permission: I. The material change of use of the Land to a mixed use comprising agricultural and residential use. II. The erection of a building for agricultural purposes and its conversion to a Dwelling in the approximate position marked ‘A’ on the attached plan (‘The Dwelling’)

Authority
Waverley Borough Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Change of use
Inspector
Bond V
Postcode
GU10 2LP

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the material change of use represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt and the effect on openness
  • Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the material change of use, having regard to policy restricting residential development in the countryside
  • The effect on the character and appearance of the area having regard to the site's location within the Surrey Hills National Landscape and Area of Great Landscape Value
  • Whether acceptable living conditions are afforded to residential occupants
  • Human rights of the site occupants and best interests of the children
  • If the material change of use represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations such as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and the substantial harms to openness, landscape character and living conditions were not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of a single substandard dwelling in the context of housing underdelivery, such that very special circumstances did not exist.

The substantial harms to the Green Belt (definitional and openness), materially harmful effects on character and appearance of the Surrey Hills National Landscape and Area of Great Landscape Value, unsuitability of location for residential development in the countryside, and failure to provide adequate living conditions were not clearly outweighed by the provision of one residential unit in the context of significant housing underdelivery and human rights considerations, such that very special circumstances did not exist.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy RE2Policy SP1Policy SP2Policy DM15Policy DM16Policy RE3Policy DM4Policy DM1Policy TD1Policy DM5
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 154Paragraph 143Paragraph 84Paragraph 189Paragraph 153Paragraph 11

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 applied

The 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.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

45 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision
An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter
Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.
Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app
Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.
Start your free trial

More decisions in Waverley Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

  1. Dismissed22 October 20266013698
    Markwick Farmhouse, Markwick Lane, Godalming, GU8 4BE
  2. Dismissed5 October 20266012552
    Dene End, Sands Lane, Tilford Nr Farnham, GU10 2BA
  3. Dismissed5 October 20266011947
    Land off Station Road, Hydestile, Godalming, GU8 4DB
  4. Dismissed5 October 20266009555
    Combe Farm, Alldens Lane, Godalming, GU8 4AP
  5. Dismissed22 July 20266008792
    Mossy Copse, Smithwood Common Rd, Cranleigh, GU6 8QR

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.