®Planning appeal decision
80 The Drive, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 4DU
Planning appeal 6003986 at 80 The Drive, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 4DU (Three Rivers District Council) was dismissed on 23 April 2026 by Inspector Reid L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.
demolition of existing dwelling and construction of 5no residential apartments, with associated landscaping, car parking, cycle and refuse storage
- Authority
- Three Rivers District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Reid L
- Postcode
- WD3 4DU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- Whether the parking provision would be acceptable, having regard to the location, on-street parking demand and the effect on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers and highway safety
- The effect of the proposal on Charlotte House School, with regard to overlooking
What decided it
The significant harm to the character and appearance of the area arising from the loss of frontage hedging and the layout's potential to place undue pressure on retained protected trees outweighed the moderate housing benefits, even under the tilted balance.
The adverse impacts on character and appearance would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the moderate and limited benefits of housing delivery when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CP12 of the Core Strategy 2011Policy CP10 of the Core StrategyPolicy DM1 of the Development Management Policies LDDAppendix 2 of the Development Management Policies LDDPolicy DM6 of the Development Management Policies LDDPolicy DM13 of the Development Management Policies LDDAppendix 5 of the Development Management Policies LDDPolicy 5 of the Chorley Neighbourhood Development Plan 2020–2025
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 8
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
More decisions in Three Rivers
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Allowed12 October 20266002930Land to the Rear of, 76 and 78 Church Lane, Sarratt, WD3 6HL
- Dismissed30 June 20266004957Land Adjoining Westwood End, Bucks Hill, Kings Langley, WD4 9AS
- Dismissed17 June 202660058338 Moneyhill Parade Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth, WD3 7BE
- Dismissed8 June 20266002193114 Denham Way, Maple Cross, WD3 9SP
- Dismissed18 May 202660017962 Prangnell Hill House, 23 Trowley Rise, Abbots Langley, Watford, Herts, WD5 0LN
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.