®Planning appeal decision
High Barn, High Barn Road, Effingham, KT24 5PR
Planning appeal 6005924 at High Barn, High Barn Road, Effingham, KT24 5PR (Guildford Borough Council) was dismissed on 10 August 2026 by Inspector John Morrison, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
erection of a self-build 2-storey dwelling and single- storey gym building following partial demolition of the existing main dwelling and demolition of the leisure complex buildings. The works seek to retain the main 2-storey part of the original barn conversion and its side car barn addition that includes accommodation in the roof. The proposals also include associated infrastructure and landscaping works and retention of the open pool
- Authority
- Guildford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Inspector
- John Morrison
- Postcode
- KT24 5PR
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
- Its effect on the openness of the Green Belt
- The character and appearance of the area with specific regard to ancient woodland and the Surrey Hills National Landscape
- If the scheme would be inappropriate development, whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify it
What decided it
The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would reduce its openness, and the absence of very special circumstances to justify this harm means the appeal must be dismissed.
Substantial weight given to harm from inappropriateness and loss of openness of the Green Belt; neutral matters on character and appearance and national landscape could not outweigh these harms; very special circumstances do not exist to justify the development
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy P2Policy P1Policy D12 of the Guildford Borough Local Plan: Development Management Policies 2023Policy ENP-ENV4 of the Effingham Neighbourhood PlanPolicy P9 of the Surrey Hills National Landscape Management Plan 2025
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154Paragraph 189
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
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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.