Planning appeal decision
Sowdens Gate Wood , Udimore Road , Udimore, East Sussex, TN31 6BG
Planning appeal 3351398 at Sowdens Gate Wood , Udimore Road , Udimore, East Sussex, TN31 6BG (Rother District Council) was decided (quashed on legal grounds) on 13 July 2026 by Inspector King T, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the enforcement notice is valid and capable of being upheld or corrected.
Without planning permission, change of use of the Land from forestry to a mixed use for forestry and for leisure and recreation purposes
- Authority
- Rother District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- leisure-sport · Change of use
- Inspector
- King T
- Postcode
- TN31 6BG
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the enforcement notice is valid and capable of being upheld or corrected
What decided it
The enforcement notice contained fundamental errors—inconsistency between the alleged breach and the compliance requirements, an inadequate and apparently incorrect plan, and lack of precision—which rendered it invalid and incapable of correction without risk of injustice.
What the Inspector cited
- Judgments
- Miller Mead v MHLG [1963] 2 WLR 225
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


More decisions in Rother District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Allowed21 August 20263352368The Barn, Woodmans Rest, Bluemans Lane, Westfield, TN33 0SE
- Notice varied and upheld13 July 20263350405Chestnut Wood, Udimore Road, Broad Oak, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 6EU
- Notice upheld24 June 20263353014Glebelands, Potmans Lane, Catsfield, East Sussex, TN33 9BH
- Notice varied and upheld22 June 20263351367Land at Bois De Saussac, Udimore Road , Udimore, Rye, Easy Sussex, TN31 6BG
- Notice upheld26 May 20263340691Hooters Moat Lane, Sedlescombe, Battle, TN33 0RY
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.
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