Yew Tree Cottage, Reigate Road, Buckland, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7BG

Planning appeal 3367107 at Yew Tree Cottage, Reigate Road, Buckland, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7BG (Mole Valley District Council) was dismissed on 29 September 2025 by Inspector Praine N, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies.

a two-storey linked detached building

Authority: Mole Valley District Council
Appeal type: householder · Householder (HAS)
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Householder developments
Inspector: Praine N
Postcode: RH3 7BG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the appeal proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies
The effect of the appeal proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
The effect of the appeal proposal on the character and appearance of the existing dwelling
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 appeal proposal

What decided it

The substantial weight given to harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, combined with harm to openness and character and appearance, was not clearly outweighed by the limited weight of other considerations, so very special circumstances did not exist to justify the proposal.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy EN1Policy EN4
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 142Paragraph 153Paragraph 154

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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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.