71, Sandridge Road,, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4AG

erection of a single storey house with associated parking and landscaping, following demolition of existing garage

Authority: St Albans City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Fern L

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the living conditions of the occupants of neighbouring flats regarding the amount of useable outdoor space
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the appeal site and the surrounding area

What decided it

The significant loss of useable outdoor space for the neighbouring flat occupants, reducing it below acceptable standards for healthy living conditions, outweighs the benefits of housing supply and efficient land use when assessed against the Framework.

The benefits of housing supply within a sustainable location, efficient land use, and economic contribution attract only limited weight, whereas the unacceptable reduction in outdoor space for neighbouring flat occupants and harm to character and appearance weigh significantly against the proposal; the identified harm significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy 69, Policy 70

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.