®Planning appeal decision
162 Radlett Road, Colney Street, St. Albans, AL2 2EL
Planning appeal 3349580 at 162 Radlett Road, Colney Street, St. Albans, AL2 2EL (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 18 February 2025 by Inspector Wright A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitable for residential development, with regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development, having particular regard to whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, the effect on openness of the Green Belt, and whether any harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations amounting to very special circumstances.
‘erection of 4x5bed detached dwelling houses’
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Wright A
- Postcode
- AL2 2EL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitable for residential development, with regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development, having particular regard to whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, the effect on openness of the Green Belt, and whether any harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations amounting to very special circumstances
What decided it
The proposal would cause substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt and would be inappropriate development for which very special circumstances do not exist, and the Framework's Green Belt policies provide a strong reason to refuse the development notwithstanding the Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
The modest benefit of four additional dwellings and limited benefits from potential self-build housing, economic benefits and proximity to other built development do not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and loss of openness, and the Framework's Green Belt policies provide a strong reason to refuse the development under paragraph 11(d)
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 1 of the St Albans District Local Plan Review 1994Policy S1 of the St Stephen Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2022
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Dismissed10 July 20266008445202 Radlett Road, Frogmore, St Albans, AL2 2EN
- Planning permission granted8 July 2026337492139 The Broadway, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 9LW
- Notice upheld8 July 2026336000739 The Broadway, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, AL4 8LW
- Dismissed10 June 20266005367Beaumont Hall Lane, Redbourn Road, Redbourn, AL3 6RN
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.