Town Planner Pro
Free trial
Search appeal decisions

Planning appeal decision

Allowed22 December 20253372617

21B Raffin Green Lane , Datchworth, Hertfordshire, SG3 6RJ

Planning appeal 3372617 at 21B Raffin Green Lane , Datchworth, Hertfordshire, SG3 6RJ (East Hertfordshire District Council) was allowed on 22 December 2025 by Inspector Fern L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area.

replacement dwelling and one new dwelling following demolition of 21B Raffin Green Lane with garages and associated landscaping

Authority
East Hertfordshire District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Other minor developments
Inspector
Fern L
Postcode
SG3 6RJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
  • the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupants of neighbouring residential properties, regarding privacy and outlook
  • the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of future occupants of the dwellings, regarding daylight and outlook, and whether or not adequate waste disposal facilities would be provided
  • whether or not the proposal provides adequate car parking provision and acceptable access for emergency service vehicles

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites engaged the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework, which allowed the benefits of housing delivery and sustainable location to outweigh the moderate harm to character and appearance.

The moderate harm to character and appearance was outweighed by the benefits of contributing to housing supply where there is a significant shortfall, the sustainable location within an established village with access to services and public transport, and economic benefits, applying the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy VILL2Policy DES4Policy TRA2Policy TRA3Policy WAT4
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 73Paragraph 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.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

26 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision
An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter
Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.
Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app
Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.
Start your free trial

More decisions in East Hertfordshire District Council

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

  1. Allowed28 October 20266008487
    The Ranch House, Amwell Hill, Great Amwell, Ware, SG12 9QZ
  2. Allowed24 September 20266008238
    Land North of A507, West of A10, Buntingford, Buntingford, SG9 9ER
  3. Dismissed20 November 20253369221
    Land Adjacent to Fellowsfield, Mill Lane, Hertfordshire, SG12 0JL
  4. Allowed11 September 20253362960
    Land Adj To 72 Nutcroft, Datchworth, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, SG3 6TG
  5. Allowed17 June 20253362158
    Little Spellars, Acorn Street, Hunsden, Herts, SG12 8PN

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.