Annexe, 18 Highlands Road, Barton on Sea, BH25 7BL

the use of annexe as one-bedroom dwelling house (change of use)

Authority: New Forest District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Evans J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the scheme upon the character and appearance of the area
the effect upon the living conditions of nearby and future residents with particular regard to privacy
the effect upon protected habitat sites

What decided it

The cumulative harm to character and appearance and to living conditions of existing and future residents substantially and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of housing supply and building re-use.

The modest benefits of housing delivery, building re-use, and environmental gains were substantially and demonstrably outweighed by significant harms to character and appearance and unacceptable living conditions, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy ENV3, Policy NM4, Policy ENV1, Policy DM2, Policy DM3

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.