®Planning appeal decision
Unit No 5, Alexandra Court, Englefield Green, Surrey, TW20 0RR
the proposed conversion of existing single storey office building to residential accommodation use. Conversion of the ground floor office space and also the addition of a first floor level / storey extension. To create a total of 4No (Double Bed) Bed Sitting Room Apartments for University Student Letting Purposes. Proposals also include the creation of a ground floor internal Bin Store & Cycle Store to serve all four apartments
- Authority
- Runnymede Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Sylvester G
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA)
- The effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupants of Number 31B St Judes Road, with particular regard to their outlook
- Whether the proposed development would provide satisfactory living conditions for future occupants with particular regard to outlook and privacy, and the arrangements for bin storage and collection, and cycle parking
- The effect of the proposed development on highway safety with particular regard to car parking provision
- Whether the proposed development would increase surface water flood risk downstream of the appeal site
What decided it
The failure to secure legal agreement to mitigate the significant adverse effect on the Thames Basin Heaths SPA through SANG and SAMM contributions, which is determinative under Regulation 63(5) of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
The benefits of housing delivery and efficient use of brownfield land were insufficient to outweigh the significant adverse effect on the SPA and harm to neighbouring living conditions, with the SPA harm being determinative and precluding the application of the presumption in favour of sustainable development under Framework Paragraph 11.
Framework references: 11, 125, 129, 135, 182, 187
Plan policies cited: RLP Policy EE10, RLP Policy EE1, RLP Policy EE13, RLP Policy SD4, RLP Policy SL23, NP Policy ND1, NP Policy TT1
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.