St Catherines Abinger Lane, Dorking, Abinger, Surrey, RH5 6JH

the creation of new driveway access and driveway gates

Authority: Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type: householder · Householder (HAS)
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: other · Householder developments
Inspector: Glassar S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
the effect of the proposal on the purpose of the Green Belt
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 proposed gates constitute buildings under planning law and fall outside the exceptions to inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and the other considerations cited do not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt that this inappropriateness causes.

Framework references: 11, 143, 153, 154, 155

Plan policies cited: Policy EN1

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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