Town Planner Pro
Free trial
Search appeal decisions

Planning appeal decision

Allowed17 June 20253355743

Land West of Chapel Road, Smallfield, Surrey, RH6 9JH

Planning appeal 3355743 at Land West of Chapel Road, Smallfield, Surrey, RH6 9JH (Tandridge District Council) was allowed on 17 June 2025 by Inspector Prentis D, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.

residential development (Use Class C3) comprising up to 270 dwellings; private parking; landscaping and public open space; S uDS; and flood alleviation measures. (Outline application with all matters reserved save for access)

Authority
Tandridge District Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Prentis D
Postcode
RH6 9JH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
  • the nature and extent of any economic, social and environmental benefits

What decided it

The severe housing land supply shortfall (1.92 years) and the classification of the site as grey belt land meant the tilted balance applied and the identified benefits (particularly housing, affordable housing and flood alleviation) outweighed the moderate landscape and visual harm.

The significant weight given to housing delivery, affordable housing and flood alleviation, together with moderate weight to the school land and public open space and minor weight to other benefits, outweighed the moderate weight attached to harm to character and appearance, tipping the balance in favour of granting permission despite conflict with the development plan as a whole.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy CSP1Policy CSP4Policy CSP12Policy CSP17Policy CSP18Policy CSP21Policy DP7Policy DP10Policy DP11Policy DP13Policy DP19Policy DP20Policy DP21
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 155Paragraph 156Paragraph 187
Judgments
R (on the application of David Tate) v Northumberland County Council [2017] EWHC 664 (Admin); R (on the Application of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority) v Epping Forest District Council [2016] EWCA Civ 404

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 applied

The decision letter

Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

49 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision
An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter
Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.
Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app
Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.
Start your free trial

More decisions in Tandridge District Council

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

  1. Allowed29 October 20266006369
    Land at Thornhill, Westerham Road, Limpsfield, Oxted, RH8 0ED
  2. Dismissed26 October 20266014139
    31a Banstead Road, Caterham, CR3 5QH
  3. Dismissed14 October 20266008351
    Development Site West of Southwood, Waller Lane, Caterham, CR3 5EA
  4. Dismissed13 October 20266007518
    Rosemary Cottage, Smallfield Road, Horne, Horley, RH6 9JP
  5. Allowed25 September 20266006497
    Land at Mount Avenue, Chaldon, CR3 5BB

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.