Land to East of Staines Rugby Football Club, Snakey Lane, TW13 7NB

the erection of a storage unit and associated parking, including new site entrance

Authority: London Borough of Hounslow
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Minor general industry/storage/warehousing
Inspector: Lancaster K

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
The effect on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposed development having particular regard to the development plan
The effect of the proposed development on ecology, including whether the proposed development would deliver Biodiversity Net Gain
Whether the proposed development would meet carbon reduction standards and achieve sustainable design to mitigate and adapt to climate change
The effect of the proposed development on highway safety
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 proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt which is by definition harmful, and the other harms identified (openness, character and appearance, biodiversity, highway safety, unsuitable location, and lack of sustainable design) are not clearly outweighed by the limited considerations advanced, so very special circumstances do not exist.

Framework references: 142, 152, 153, 154, 155

Plan policies cited: Policy G2 of the London Plan 2021, Policy GB1 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy CC1 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy CC2 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy E4 of the London Plan 2021, Policy ED1 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy GB7 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy EQ1 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy EQ2 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015, Policy T4 of the London Plan, Policy T7 of the London Plan, Policy EC2 of the Hounslow Borough Local Plan 2015

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.