®Planning appeal decision
Sandy Meadow Farm, Bignor Park Road, Bignor, West Sussex, RH20 1HQ
5 pitch settled gypsy accommodation site including landscaping and biodiversity enhancements
- Authority
- South Downs
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Raygen Z
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal on ancient woodland
- The effect of the proposal on the Arun Valley designated sites as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar with regard to water neutrality
- The effect of the development on the Mens Special Area of Conservation and the Ebernoe Common Special Area of Conservation
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- Whether or not there are other considerations weighing in favour of the proposed development
What decided it
The harm to ancient woodland, an irreplaceable habitat, which the Framework requires wholly exceptional reasons to justify and which were not present.
The substantial weight given to personal circumstances and lack of alternative accommodation, and significant weight to the unmet pitch need, did not outweigh the harm to ancient woodland and conflict with the development plan as a whole.
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: Policy 4 of the NP, Policy SD1, Policy SD9, Policy SD11, Policy 16 of the NP, Policy SD17, Policy SD2, Policy SD4, Policy SD5, Policy SD7, Policy SD8, Policy 2 of the NP, Policy 13 of the NP, Policy 14 of the NP, Policy 15 of the NP, Policy SD33
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.