Planning appeal decision
10 Gibbons Close, Sandridge, St. Albans, AL4 9EP
Planning appeal 3374220 at 10 Gibbons Close, Sandridge, St. Albans, AL4 9EP (St Albans City Council) was allowed on 10 December 2025 by Inspector Murray D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal constitutes 'inappropriate development' in the Green Belt.
the demolition of conservatory, proposed full width ground floor extension with part first floor rear extension, part ground and first floor front extension, garage conversion and internal alterations
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- householder · Householder (HAS)
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Householder developments
- Inspector
- Murray D
- Postcode
- AL4 9EP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal constitutes 'inappropriate development' in the Green Belt
- If inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances
What decided it
The restoration of symmetry to the semi-detached pair combined with the proposal's visual compatibility with other extensions in the street scene and its lack of harm to Green Belt openness and purposes constituted very special circumstances that clearly outweighed the moderate harm of inappropriate development.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 13
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 143Paragraph 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.
See how each was appliedThe 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.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in St Albans City Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Planning permission granted15 September 20263311314Land at Former Butterfly World, Miriam Lane, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3NY
- Dismissed10 July 20266008445202 Radlett Road, Frogmore, St Albans, AL2 2EN
- Planning permission granted8 July 2026337492139 The Broadway, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 9LW
- Notice upheld8 July 2026336000739 The Broadway, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, AL4 8LW
- Dismissed10 June 20266005367Beaumont Hall Lane, Redbourn Road, Redbourn, AL3 6RN
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.
®