Land Adjacent to 12 Looms Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1HE

Planning appeal 3355195 at Land Adjacent to 12 Looms Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1HE (West Suffolk) was dismissed on 23 April 2025 by Inspector Wright A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to trees.

the change of use, conversion and extension of the existing office building to residential apartments, as well as the construction of one single storey dwelling in place of the existing car port to the rear of the site

Authority: West Suffolk
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Wright A
Postcode: IP33 1HE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to trees
ecology

What decided it

The adverse impacts of harm to the character and appearance of the area and the irreplaceable ecological habitat provided by the veteran robinia tree would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the modest housing and economic benefits of the proposal.

The modest housing benefits and sustainable location were outweighed by the significant harm to the character and appearance of the area and the irreplaceable ecological habitat of the veteran robinia tree, with the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighing the benefits under paragraph 11(d)(ii) of the Framework.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy DM13 of the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury Local Plan Joint Development Management Policies Document 2015
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.

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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.