®Planning appeal decision
Former Driving Standards Agency Car Park, Turner Street, Lower Gornal, Dudley, DY3 2AU
Planning appeal 6001809 at Former Driving Standards Agency Car Park, Turner Street, Lower Gornal, Dudley, DY3 2AU (Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council) was allowed on 11 February 2026 by Inspector Greenwood L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effects of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area, in terms of the impact on trees.
2 No detached 2 bed dwellings
- Authority
- Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Greenwood L
- Postcode
- DY3 2AU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effects of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area, in terms of the impact on trees
- The living conditions of future occupiers of the proposed houses, with particular reference to natural light, outlook and size of gardens
What decided it
The tilted balance under Framework paragraph 11(d) applied due to the Council's failure against the Housing Delivery Test, and the benefits of delivering 2 houses on a well-located brownfield site in a sustainable location outweighed the minor harm to character from likely future pressure on retained trees.
The minor harm to character and appearance from likely future impacts on retained trees was not sufficient to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of housing delivery, efficient use of brownfield land, and sustainable location when assessed against Framework policies under the tilted balance.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Black Country Core Strategy policy ENV2Black Country Core Strategy policy ENV3Dudley Borough Development Strategy policy L1Dudley Borough Development Strategy policy S6Dudley Borough Development Strategy policy S22Residential Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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 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.