®Planning appeal decision
Abbots Leigh, Washington Road, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4AF
Planning appeal 3363148 at Abbots Leigh, Washington Road, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4AF (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 6 October 2025 by Inspector Walker C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the development, having particular regard to relevant provisions of the development plan and the Framework.
‘outline planning application with all matters reserved apart from access for 1no. 4-bedroom dwelling with associated private garden space, car parking and landscaping’
- Authority
- Horsham District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Walker C
- Postcode
- RH20 4AF
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the development, having particular regard to relevant provisions of the development plan and the Framework
- the effect of the development on the integrity of the Arun Valley sites
What decided it
The development would likely have a significant adverse effect on the integrity of the Arun Valley Special Protection Area, Special Area of Conservation and Ramsar site because the submitted Unilateral Undertaking did not adequately secure the water neutrality mitigation required by the Habitats Regulations.
The small but important boost in housing supply, the site's location on previously developed land accessible to local services, and the temporary construction jobs weighed heavily in favour, but the substantial weight attached to the likely significant adverse effect on the integrity of the Arun Valley sites and conflict with the development plan as a whole outweighed these material considerations.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- HDPF Policy 2HDPF Policy 3HDPF Policy 4HDPF Policy 26HDPF Policy 31NP Policy 1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 193
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
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Allowed12 October 20266011680Land at High Chaparral, London Road, Washington, RH20 3BP
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.