Land North of Nutwood, Down Green Lane, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8EJ

Planning appeal 3353342 at Land North of Nutwood, Down Green Lane, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8EJ (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 27 March 2025 by Inspector Pearce J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of development plan policy and the Framework.

use of land for siting of a temporary tourist cabin

Authority: St Albans City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: leisure-sport · Change of use
Inspector: Pearce J
Postcode: AL4 8EJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of development plan policy and the Framework
the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
if it is inappropriate, whether the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, or any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The proposal fails to meet the exceptions in NPPF paragraph 154 for appropriate development in the Green Belt and the modest benefits from tourism do not constitute very special circumstances to justify the inappropriate development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy 1 of the City and District of St Albans District Local Plan Review 1994Policy W1 of the Wheathampstead Neighbourhood Plan 2023Policies 91 and 99 of the Local Plan
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 154

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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More decisions in St Albans City Council

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

Planning permission granted15 September 20263311314
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202 Radlett Road, Frogmore, St Albans, AL2 2EN
Planning permission granted8 July 20263374921
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Notice upheld8 July 20263360007
39 The Broadway, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, AL4 8LW
Dismissed10 June 20266005367
Beaumont 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.