®Planning appeal decision
Land At Gibbshaven Farm, North Of Felbridge Road, Furnace Wood , West Sussex, RH19 2SJ
Planning appeal 3373757 at Land At Gibbshaven Farm, North Of Felbridge Road, Furnace Wood , West Sussex, RH19 2SJ (Mid Sussex District Council) was allowed on 20 April 2026 by Inspector Housden C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including loss of trees.
outline application with all matters reserved except for access from Felbridge Road, for the erection of up to 8 self/custom-build dwellings, public open space, new woodland, drainage and ancillary works
- Authority
- Mid Sussex District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Housden C
- Postcode
- RH19 2SJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including loss of trees
- the demand for and supply of self-build and custom housing
What decided it
The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, combined with the Council's failure to meet its statutory duty to provide sufficient self-build and custom housing plots, engaged the presumption in favour of sustainable development, which outweighed the limited harm to character and appearance.
The limited harm to character and appearance and conflict with the development plan were outweighed by the significant social benefits of housing delivery (including self-build and custom housing and affordable housing), the limited environmental benefits (biodiversity net gain and proximity to public transport), and the presumption in favour of sustainable development arising from the housing land supply shortfall and self-build housing shortfall.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy DP12Policy DP13Policy DP37Policy DP4Policy DP6Policy DP31Policy CDNP05Policy CDNP08
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 14Paragraph 58Paragraph 61Paragraph 110Paragraph 135Paragraph 143Paragraph 187
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 appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
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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.