®Planning appeal decision
Oaks Farm, Horsted Lane, Isfield, East Sussex, TN22 5TX
Planning appeal 3362346 at Oaks Farm, Horsted Lane, Isfield, East Sussex, TN22 5TX (Wealden District Council) was dismissed on 12 September 2025 by Inspector Wright A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the site would be a suitable location for housing, having regard to the provisions of the development plan and the accessibility of services and facilities.
‘proposal for three detached houses, landscaping and parking’
- Authority
- Wealden District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Wright A
- Postcode
- TN22 5TX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site would be a suitable location for housing, having regard to the provisions of the development plan and the accessibility of services and facilities
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The adverse impacts of the scheme—unsustainable location requiring reliance on private vehicles and significant harm to the character and appearance of the Low Weald landscape—significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of three family homes and limited economic benefits, even under the tilted balance.
The modest benefit of three family homes and limited economic benefits were outweighed by the significant harm from an unsustainable location and damage to the character and appearance of the area, with the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighing the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy WCS6Policy WCS14saved Policy GD2saved Policy DC17saved Policy EN1saved Policy EN8saved Policy EN27spatial planning objectives SPO1spatial planning objectives SPO7spatial planning objectives SPO8spatial planning objectives SPO13
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Wealden District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed23 October 2026601128637 High Street, Frant, TN3 9DT
- Dismissed23 October 20266010554Ivy House, Mayfield Road, Mark Cross, Rotherfield, TN6 3PJ
- Dismissed6 October 20266011082Willow Farm, Under Road, Herstmonceux, BN27 1QE
- Notice varied and upheld28 September 20263356589Land An New House Farm, Buckham Hill, Isfield, East Sussex, TN22 5XU
- Dismissed25 September 20266009517Fairfield Cottage, Cross In Hand Road, Heathfield, TN21 0SN
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.