Telham Forge, Hastings Road, Battle, TN33 0SH

Planning appeal 3352321 at Telham Forge, Hastings Road, Battle, TN33 0SH (Rother District Council) was dismissed on 7 April 2025 by Inspector Glassar S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the suitability of the site's location for the proposed development.

a change of use to allow mixed use of existing ancillary office building as a residential dwelling with office and welfare facilities to serve the existing business

Authority: Rother District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Glassar S
Postcode: TN33 0SH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the suitability of the site's location for the proposed development
the loss of employment floorspace

What decided it

The unjustified loss of employment floorspace, which the appellant failed to demonstrate was unavoidable, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of providing a small residential unit, particularly given the Framework's emphasis on supporting economic growth and productivity.

The modest benefits of housing delivery and the limited harm from the site's location were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the unjustified loss of employment floorspace contrary to national policy supporting economic growth and a prosperous rural economy.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy RA3 of the Rother Local Plan Core StrategyPolicy DIM2 of the Development and Site Allocations Local PlanPolicy HD1 of the Battle Neighbourhood PlanPolicy DCO1 of the Development and Site Allocations Local PlanPolicy DEC3 of the Development and Site Allocations Local Plan
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 125

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 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.