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Dismissed4 February 20263372741

Cromer Hyde Farm, Marford Road, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7XD

Planning appeal 3372741 at Cromer Hyde Farm, Marford Road, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7XD (Welwyn Hatfield Council) was dismissed on 4 February 2026 by Inspector Rawle S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.

the change of use of land to 'Outdoor sport and recreation' and the construction of an equestrian livery building

Authority
Welwyn Hatfield Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
leisure-sport · Change of use
Inspector
Rawle S
Postcode
AL8 7XD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
  • Whether the proposal would result in the unacceptable loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land
  • Whether adequate information has been provided to demonstrate whether or not the proposed development would be at an unacceptable risk of flooding
  • Whether or not the harm by reason of the proposal being inappropriate development within the Green Belt, 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 represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt that harmfully diminishes openness, and the resulting harm is not clearly outweighed by other considerations, so very special circumstances do not exist to justify approval.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy SADM34Policy SP1Policy SADM2Policy SP3Policy SP24Policy SP11Policy SADM14
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 154Paragraph 155

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

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More decisions in Welwyn Hatfield

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

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  5. Planning permission granted6 March 20263354671
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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.

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.