®Planning appeal decision
Fincham Farm, Cat Street, Hartfield, East Sussex, TN7 4DY
Planning appeal 3355547 at Fincham Farm, Cat Street, Hartfield, East Sussex, TN7 4DY (Wealden District Council) was dismissed on 25 April 2025 by Inspector Holden S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitable for a residential development having regard to local and national planning policies for the location of housing with particular reference to access to services and facilities.
A new dwelling
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Holden S
- Postcode
- TN7 4DY
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitable for a residential development having regard to local and national planning policies for the location of housing with particular reference to access to services and facilities
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL)
- Whether the proposal would preserve the setting of Fincham Farm, a Grade II listed building
What decided it
The unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the High Weald National Landscape, a protected area to which great weight must be given, combined with the unsustainable location and less than substantial harm to the listed building setting, outweighed the limited benefit of a single dwelling.
The limited benefits of providing a single dwelling would not outweigh the significant harm to the High Weald National Landscape (a matter of great weight), the unsustainable location contrary to the Council's spatial strategy, and the less than substantial harm to the setting of the Grade II listed building Fincham Farm (a matter of considerable importance and weight).
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GD2Policy DC17Strategic Planning Objective SPO3Strategic Planning Objective SPO7Policies EN6Policies EN27Spatial Planning Objective SPO2Policy WCS14Policy EN1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 82Paragraph 83Paragraph 84Paragraph 110Paragraph 189Paragraph 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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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.