Valentines Farm Rose Lane, Ripley, Woking, GU23 6NE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• highway safety
• character and appearance of the area
• designated heritage assets
• living conditions of surrounding occupiers with respect to noise and disturbance
• protected species (Appeal A only)

What decided it

For Appeal A, the inability to demonstrate that the small site could accommodate open storage, parking, turning and servicing space without adversely affecting highway safety given its position adjacent to the access for the wider site. For Appeal B, the acceptability of restricting open storage to the concrete hardstanding for existing occupiers, which would not generate significant additional vehicle movements or other material harm.

Appeal A: no balancing exercise undertaken as the proposal conflicted with the development plan with no material considerations of sufficient weight to indicate otherwise. Appeal B: the benefits of enabling employment use with restricted open storage outweighed any limited concerns, subject to conditions controlling hours, height, noise mitigation and parking provision.