8 Pennyfathers Lane, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0EN

Planning appeal 3352247 at 8 Pennyfathers Lane, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0EN (Welwyn Hatfield Council) was dismissed on 28 February 2025 by Inspector Dale A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed gates would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and relevant development plan policies.

Installation of swing opening gates on the existing drive to the house

Authority: Welwyn Hatfield Council
Appeal type: householder · Householder (HAS)
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: other · Householder developments
Inspector: Dale A
Postcode: AL6 0EN

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposed gates would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and relevant development plan policies
Their effect on the openness of the Green Belt
If the proposed gates do amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development

What decided it

The fallback position of permitted development rights allowing a more visually solid 1m high gate, which would cause greater harm to Green Belt openness than the proposed open-design metal gates in Appeal B, combined with the safety and wellbeing benefits, amounted to very special circumstances justifying Appeal B but not Appeal A.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy SADM 34
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 154Paragraph 143Paragraph 13

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

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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.