®Planning appeal decision
Land East of Green Lane, Hemel Hempstead, AL3 7AP
Planning appeal 3366214 at Land East of Green Lane, Hemel Hempstead, AL3 7AP (Dacorum Borough Council) was allowed on 30 September 2025 by Inspector Bennett T, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies; including the effect on openness.
Change of use from agricultural land to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) with associated access and car park
- Authority
- Dacorum Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- leisure-sport · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Bennett T
- Postcode
- AL3 7AP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies; including the effect on openness
- whether the SANG would provide a safe and satisfactory means of access for all users, having regard to the location, flood risk and pedestrian access
- whether the 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 cumulative benefits of housing delivery, economic benefits, high-quality open space provision, and substantial biodiversity net gain clearly outweighed the limited harm to Green Belt openness, establishing the very special circumstances required to justify inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
the limited harm to Green Belt openness was clearly outweighed by substantial weight given to housing delivery and economic benefits, moderate weight to high-quality public open space provision, and considerable weight to biodiversity net gain, establishing very special circumstances
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS5Policy CS12Policy CS9
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154Paragraph 116Paragraph 153Paragraph 57
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
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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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- Notice upheld14 July 20263350930Land Adjancet to The Old Brickworks, Spring Garden Lane, Northchurch, Herts, HP4 3GY
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.