Winnies Woodland, Eastbourne Road, Blindley Heath, Lingfield, RH7 6LG

the material change of use of land from non-residential smallholding to a residential caravan site for Gypsies and Travellers comprising 2 pitches, the siting of an additional mobile home and 2 touring caravans, and the conversion of stables building to dayroom

Authority: Tandridge District Council
Appeal type: Planning
Procedure: Hearing
Development: caravan-gypsy
Postcode: RH7 6LG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal represents an inappropriate form of development in the Green Belt and, if it does, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations thereby justifying the development on the basis of 'very special circumstances'
Whether the impact of the development on the settled community, considered cumulatively with other similar developments, is acceptable

What decided it

The finding that the development met the paragraph 155 exceptions (grey belt land, unmet need for traveller pitches, and a sustainable location), meaning it was not inappropriate development in the Green Belt and caused no Green Belt harm.

The proposal accords with the development plan taken as a whole and with the Framework, with no other material considerations pointing to a contrary decision, so the appeal was allowed without need for a 'very special circumstances' balancing exercise.

Framework references: 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 110, 115, 143, 57

Plan policies cited: Policy DP10, Policy DP5, Policy CSP 9

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.