Planning appeal decision
Land Adjacent to Barley Cottage, Ringmer Road, Newhaven, BN9 9TN
Planning appeal 6005756 at Land Adjacent to Barley Cottage, Ringmer Road, Newhaven, BN9 9TN (Lewes District Council) was dismissed on 15 July 2026 by Inspector R Lawrence, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.
erection of 2 no self-build dwellings, access, landscaping and other associated infrastructure
- Authority
- Lewes District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Inspector
- R Lawrence
- Postcode
- BN9 9TN
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- biodiversity, including priority habitats and biodiversity net gain (BNG)
What decided it
The substantial harm to priority habitat and unresolved biodiversity concerns, combined with limited harm to character and appearance, significantly and demonstrably outweigh the modest benefits of two dwellings when assessed against the Framework, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply.
The adverse impacts on biodiversity and character and appearance would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole; the substantial harm to biodiversity weighs decisively against the proposal despite the Council's housing land supply shortfall.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy DM1Policy DM25Policy DM27Policy D1Policy CP2Policy CP10Policy DM24Policy DM35
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 56Paragraph 232
- Judgments
- North Wiltshire District Council v Secretary of State for the Environment (1993) 65 P & CR 137; I'm Your Man Limited v Secretary of State for the Environment [1998] EWHC 866 (Admin)
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 Lewes District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Dismissed5 October 20266009599Land to the East of The Orchards, Uckfield Road, Clayhill, BN8 5FR
- Dismissed22 October 20253360979Land to the East of The Orchards, Uckfield Road, Clayhill, East Sussex, BN8 5FR
- Dismissed18 August 20253360915Land Northeast of Brook Lodge, Theobalds Road, Burgess Hill, East Sussex, RH15 0SX
- Allowed18 March 20253347967Land at North Barnes Lane, North Barn Lane, Plumpton Green, BN7 3DX
- Dismissed11 September 20243338986Bramleys, Jackies Lane, Newick, East Sussex, BN8 4QX
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.
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