®Planning appeal decision
Land To The East Of, Melford Road, Lawshall, Suffolk, IP29 4PX
Planning appeal 3354153 at Land To The East Of, Melford Road, Lawshall, Suffolk, IP29 4PX (Babergh District Council) was dismissed on 10 February 2025 by Inspector Sylvester G, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location for new housing with particular regard to local and national planning policy.
the erection of 5 self-build dwellings
- Authority
- Babergh District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Sylvester G
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location for new housing with particular regard to local and national planning policy.
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.
- Whether the proposed development would preserve the setting of the Grade II listed building known as Little West Farm.
- Whether affordable housing should be provided.
- If there is any harm whether this is outweighed by other considerations, with particular regard to the provision of self-build housing.
What decided it
The great weight attached to the harm to the setting of the Grade II listed Little West Farm, combined with conflict with the development plan's locational strategy and character policies, outweighed the benefits of the self-build housing proposal.
The high-order weight attributable to the self-build and other benefits of the proposal was outweighed by the great weight given to heritage harm and the substantial weight against the grant of permission arising from conflict with the development plan as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- JLPP1 Policy SP03LNPR Policy LWL1JLPP1 Policy LP17JLPP1 Policy LP24LNPR Policy LWL15JLPP1 Policy LP19JLPP1 Policy SP09LNPR Policy LWL13JLPP1 Policy SP02LNPR Policy LWL3JLPP1 Policy LP01JLPP1 Policy LP08
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 63Paragraph 73Paragraph 212Paragraph 215
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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What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Babergh District Council
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.