®Planning appeal decision
The Grasshopper Inn, Westerham Road, Westerham, Surrey, TN16 2EU
Planning appeal 3359711 at The Grasshopper Inn, Westerham Road, Westerham, Surrey, TN16 2EU (Tandridge District Council) was dismissed on 9 September 2025 by Inspector Pattison B, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the Surrey Hills National Landscape.
Demolition of the existing building and erection of a new 63 bedroom care home
- Authority
- Tandridge District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- community-institutional · Major retail and services
- Inspector
- Pattison B
- Postcode
- TN16 2EU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the Surrey Hills National Landscape
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area as a result of the demolition of a non-designated heritage asset and bearing in mind the special attention that should be paid to the desirability of preserving the setting of the nearby Grade II listed buildings
What decided it
The conflict with Framework protections for National Landscapes and heritage assets, combined with the unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the area and the total loss of a non-designated heritage asset, outweighed the substantial benefits of providing much-needed care home accommodation.
the substantial benefits of providing 63 care home beds addressing critical local need and supporting housing supply were outweighed by the significant harm to the National Landscape, the character and appearance of the area, and the loss of a non-designated heritage asset with moderate local significance, together with less than substantial harm to the setting of nearby Grade II listed buildings
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CSP18Policy CSP20Policy CSP21Policy DP7Policy DP20Policy TNP04A
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 16Paragraph 73Paragraph 124Paragraph 189Paragraph 216Paragraph 232
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
More decisions in Tandridge District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Allowed29 October 20266006369Land at Thornhill, Westerham Road, Limpsfield, Oxted, RH8 0ED
- Dismissed26 October 2026601413931a Banstead Road, Caterham, CR3 5QH
- Dismissed15 October 20266005184Streathbourne House, 75 Redehall Road, Smallfield, RH6 9QA
- Dismissed14 October 20266008351Development Site West of Southwood, Waller Lane, Caterham, CR3 5EA
- Dismissed13 October 20266007518Rosemary Cottage, Smallfield Road, Horne, Horley, RH6 9JP
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.