Willow Cottage, Hightown, Ringwood, BH24 3DY

Planning appeal 3366785 at Willow Cottage, Hightown, Ringwood, BH24 3DY (New Forest District Council) was dismissed on 19 November 2025 by Inspector Leonard S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.

the erection of two dwellings

Authority: New Forest District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Leonard S
Postcode: BH24 3DY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
Whether the proposal would provide adequate mitigation for the EPS

What decided it

The absence of a mechanism to ensure that replacement of the existing dwelling takes place in accordance with an appropriate scheme, combined with the significant harm to character and appearance, means the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the modest housing benefits.

The modest economic and social benefits of housing delivery and construction activity were outweighed by the significant harm to character and appearance and the failure to achieve the social objective of fostering well-designed and beautiful places, resulting in the proposal not being a sustainable form of development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy ENV3 of the Local Plan 2016-2036 Part One: Planning Strategy New Forest District Outside of the New Forest National Park (July 2020)
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 8Paragraph 61Paragraph 73Paragraph 135
Judgments: Holborn Studios Ltd v The Council of the London Borough of Hackney [2017] EWHC 2823

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

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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.