Land at Broadwater Lodge, 10A STONE CROSS ROAD, WADHURST, TN5 6LR

the demolition of detached double garage to existing property and construction of new double garage and 2 detached houses

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

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the site is a suitable location for the appeal proposal having regard to the Council's strategy for the location of development
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area with particular regard to whether the proposal would conserve and enhance the landscape, scenic and natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL)

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply triggered the presumption in favour of sustainable development under NPPF paragraph 11(d), and since the proposal would not harm the HWNL or character and appearance, the moderate policy conflict did not outweigh the housing benefits.

The moderate weight attributed to conflict with the development plan policies restricting countryside development was outweighed by the benefits of two additional homes in a suitable location with good access to services, preservation of character and appearance, and the presumption in favour of sustainable development arising from the Council's inability to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply.

Framework references: 11, 189, 55

Plan policies cited: Policy GD2, Policy DC17, Policy EN1, Policy EN27, Policy EN19, Policy EN6, Policy SPO2, Policy WCS13, Policy WCS14, Policy WAD1

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.

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