Land opposite Great Oaks, Snowerhill Road, Betchworth, RH3 7AQ

the creation of access track to barn

Authority: Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: agricultural · Other minor developments
Inspector: Naylor R

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies and, if so, the effect on openness
the effects of the proposed development on character and appearance
whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The access drive and apron, whilst necessary for agricultural purposes, fail to preserve the spatial openness of the Green Belt and harm the character and appearance of the area through their urbanising tarmac surface, and no very special circumstances have been demonstrated to outweigh this harm.

Framework references: 153, 154

Plan policies cited: Policy EN1, Policy EC6, Policy EN4

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.

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