49 Orchard Road (land to the rear), Hockley Heath, SOLIHULL, B94 6QR

Permission in Principle for the erection of two dwellings

Authority: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Townend K

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use, and the amount of development, with particular regard to the character of the area and the effect of the development on trees

What decided it

The substantial harm to the character and appearance of the area from backland development that fails to integrate with the established street-facing pattern of the locality significantly and demonstrably outweighs the limited net housing benefit of one additional dwelling.

the substantial harm to character and appearance, given significant weight, significantly and demonstrably outweighs the limited benefit of one net additional dwelling and the contribution to housing supply, such that the presumption in favour of development does not apply

Framework references: 11, 61, 73, 124, 131, 135

Plan policies cited: Policy P5, Policy P15

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.

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