Planning appeal decision
1 Vine Cottages, Hare Street, Herts, Herts, SG9 0EG
Planning appeal 3359515 at 1 Vine Cottages, Hare Street, Herts, Herts, SG9 0EG (East Hertfordshire District Council) was allowed on 6 July 2026 by Inspector Hartley D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant an LDC was well founded with particular regard as to whether the evidence demonstrates, on the balance of probability, that on the date of the LDC application the land had been continuously used as a residential garden for a period of at least ten years and hence was immune from enforcement action and lawful.
the use of land as residential garden land
- Authority
- East Hertfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Lawful Development Certificate
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- other · Change of use
- Inspector
- Hartley D
- Postcode
- SG9 0EG
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant an LDC was well founded with particular regard as to whether the evidence demonstrates, on the balance of probability, that on the date of the LDC application the land had been continuously used as a residential garden for a period of at least ten years and hence was immune from enforcement action and lawful
What decided it
The collective weight of evidence from the appellant, neighbouring occupiers, and professional gardeners and arboricultural specialists demonstrating continuous residential garden use and maintenance from November 2012 to the application date satisfied the balance of probability test for ten years' continuous use.
The decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in East Hertfordshire District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Dismissed3 July 20263368629Land Adj Robin Hill , High Molewood, Hertford, SG14 2PL
- Notice upheld3 July 20263342403Brookfield Farm Barns, West End Road, Wormley West End, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7QN
- Notice varied and upheld24 June 20263345459Land on South-East Side of Danebridge Road, Much Haddam, Hertfordshire, SG10 6EJ
- Planning permission granted24 June 20263342391Land South of Alston Oak, Harlow Road, Sawbridgeworth, CM21 0AJ
- Notice upheld15 June 20263375435Land at Mentely Lane West, Puckeridge, Ware, SG11 1US
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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