Planning appeal decision
214C Hatfield Road, St. Albans, AL1 4LW
Planning appeal 3353913 at 214C Hatfield Road, St. Albans, AL1 4LW (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 6 March 2025 by Inspector Barnes D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed development would provide satisfactory living standards for the future occupiers.
the conversion of an existing commercial unit with minor extensions and access stairway to form 4 no. s/c flats
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Barnes D
- Postcode
- AL1 4LW
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development would provide satisfactory living standards for the future occupiers
What decided it
The proposed development would fail to provide satisfactory living standards for future occupiers due to poor outlook, privacy concerns, and inadequate daylight and sunlight, which harm significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefit of housing delivery despite the council's inability to demonstrate a 5-year supply.
The benefits of housing delivery and use of previously developed land in a sustainable location were outweighed by the unacceptable harm to living standards for future occupiers
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 11Policy 70Policy 72
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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


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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.
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