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Dismissed8 October 20253365225

Pinewood Park Capel Road, Rusper, Horsham, RH12 4PZ

Planning appeal 3365225 at Pinewood Park Capel Road, Rusper, Horsham, RH12 4PZ (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 8 October 2025 by Inspector Murray D, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the principle of the development accords with the development plan strategy.

Change of use of land to 12 gypsy/traveller pitches and associated works including retention of vehicle access, wildflower meadow and tree planting

Authority
Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Hearing
Development
caravan-gypsy · Other minor developments
Inspector
Murray D
Postcode
RH12 4PZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the principle of the development accords with the development plan strategy
  • The effect on the rural character of the area
  • The effect on the living conditions of the intended occupiers
  • Whether there would be proper provision for the disposal of foul sewerage from the development
  • Whether the site lies in a sustainable location with good accessibility to a range of services and modes of transport (issue raised by Capel Parish Council)
  • Whether the Council can demonstrate an adequate supply of Gypsy and Traveller sites at the moment
  • The personal circumstances involved including the best interests of children

What decided it

The scheme's conflict with LP Policy H5's small-scale (maximum 4 pitch) limitation and the demonstrated adequacy of the Council's five-year Gypsy and Traveller pitch supply outweighed the personal circumstances of the intended occupiers.

the personal circumstances of the intended occupiers, including the best interests of children and the lack of alternative sites, did not outweigh the harm to rural character and the conflict with the development plan as a whole

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy EN2Policy H5Policy EN4Policy EN12
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 187Paragraph 11Paragraph 75Paragraph 110
Judgments
Mole Valley District Council v SSHCLG and Margaret Meloney [2025] EWHC 2127 (Admin)

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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Mole Valley District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

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  5. Allowed9 February 20263367463
    Land to the Rear of Cricketers Close , Cricketers Close, Ockley , Surrey , RH5 5BA

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.