The Woodlands, Lodge Green Lane, Solihull, CV7 7JG

extension to existing building, laying of hardstanding and changing the use of land from agricultural to residential garden

Authority: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Barton P

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
whether other considerations clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm as to amount to very special circumstances

What decided it

The proposal would cause significant harm to the spatial openness of the Green Belt and conflict with its purposes, and the other considerations advanced did not have sufficient cumulative weight to clearly outweigh this harm and establish very special circumstances.

Framework references: 11, 143, 153, 154, 155

Plan policies cited: Policy P17, Policy P15

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

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