®Planning appeal decision
Former Fordbridge Service Station, Kingston Road, Ashford, TW15 3SE
Planning appeal 3375737 at Former Fordbridge Service Station, Kingston Road, Ashford, TW15 3SE (Spelthorne Borough Council) was dismissed on 17 March 2026 by Inspector Coles C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal site would be grey belt land with particular reference to whether flooding provides a strong reason for refusing the proposed development.
construction of building for the storage of cars with ancillary workshop in association with car sales
- Authority
- Spelthorne Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- employment-industrial · Minor retail and services
- Inspector
- Coles C
- Postcode
- TW15 3SE
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site would be grey belt land with particular reference to whether flooding provides a strong reason for refusing the proposed development
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies
- The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- If the proposal is found to be inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the 'very special circumstances' required to justify the development
What decided it
The proposal fails to demonstrate very special circumstances because the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and harm to openness, combined with conflict with flood risk policy due to the absence of a sequential test, is not clearly outweighed by the modest economic benefits claimed.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LO1 of the Spelthorne Core Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document (2009)Policy GB1 of the Spelthorne Borough Local Plan 2001
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 142Paragraph 143Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 156Paragraph 157Paragraph 175Paragraph 176
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
More decisions in Spelthorne Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Notice varied and upheld13 May 20263345013Land to the South of Bedfont Road, Stanwell, Staines, TW19 7LE
- Dismissed30 January 20263375599Plot 2, Sandhills Meadow , Shepperton, TW17 9HY
- Dismissed26 January 20263348103Land South East of The Ranges (Addressed As 1A Priory Stables), Chertsey Road, Shepperton, TW17 9NU
- Notice varied and upheld26 January 202633351271A Priory Stables, Shepperton, TW17 9NU
- Allowed16 January 20263374044Land Northeast of Eco Park, Charlton Lane, Shepperton, Surrey, TW17 8QA
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.