Land south of Sandy Cross Lane and east of Monkhurst House, HEATHFIELD, East Sussex, TN21 8QR

outline planning permission with all matters reserved bar access for the provision of 9 self build dwellings, access from Sandy Cross Lane and ancillary works

Authority: Wealden District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Wilkinson S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Its effects on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the High Weald National Landscape
Its effects on designated heritage assets with particular regard to the two Grade II listed properties, Little Monkhurst and Farm Cottage
Its effects on protected species with particular regard to the Great Crested Newts

What decided it

The harm to the landscape character and scenic beauty of the High Weald National Landscape, to which paragraph 189 of the Framework requires great weight to be given, significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits of housing delivery and other public benefits.

The benefits of self-build and affordable housing provision, biodiversity net gain, and limited economic benefits were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the harm to the landscape character of the High Weald National Landscape, resulting in dismissal of the appeal

Framework references: 11, 58, 63, 64, 85, 135, 189, 215, 232

Plan policies cited: GD2, DC17, EN1, EN6, EN27, SPO1, SPO13, SPO2, SPO3, WCS2, WCS12, WCS14, AFH1

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.