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Dismissed1 May 20266002643

Land To The West of Whites Copse, Horsham Road, Rowhook, West Sussex, RH12 3PZ

Planning appeal 6002643 at Land To The West of Whites Copse, Horsham Road, Rowhook, West Sussex, RH12 3PZ (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 1 May 2026 by Inspector Dyer I, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether, or not, the site is a suitable location for the proposal, having particular regard to planning policies and transport access.

change of use of land from agricultural to day nursery and forest pre- school (Use Class E(f)). Retention of existing field shelters. Construction of education/nursery building, polytunnels and woodwork shelter. Alterations to existing access and extensive hard and soft landscaping

Authority
Horsham District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Hearing
Development
community-institutional · Change of use
Inspector
Dyer I
Postcode
RH12 3PZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether, or not, the site is a suitable location for the proposal, having particular regard to planning policies and transport access
  • The effect of the proposal on Whites Copse, which is an ancient woodland

What decided it

The harm to Whites Copse ancient woodland, an irreplaceable habitat, without wholly exceptional reasons to justify it, combined with the unsuitability of the site's location and its near-total reliance on the private car.

The benefits of early years provision, economic activity and biodiversity net gain did not outweigh the harm to the ancient woodland and the harm from an unsustainable, car-dependent location, so the balance tipped against the proposal.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy 2Policy 3Policy 10Policy 26Policy 31Policy 40Policy 43Policy 46
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 110Paragraph 88Paragraph 89Paragraph 100Paragraph 193

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Horsham District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.