®Planning appeal decision
Grove Farm, Rickmansworth Road, Harefield, UB9 6JY
Planning appeal 6010520 at Grove Farm, Rickmansworth Road, Harefield, UB9 6JY (London Borough of Hillingdon) was dismissed on 15 September 2026 by Inspector T Bennett, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the living conditions of the future occupiers of Cottage House with regard to any noise and disturbance.
Retrospective change of use of three existing timber clad barns (formerly chicken sheds) to dog training centre, with material change of use of fields to the north and west for dog training purposes, subdivision into four recreational plots, erection of post and mesh fencing, and laying of hardstanding
- Authority
- London Borough of Hillingdon
- Appeal type
- Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- leisure-sport
- Inspector
- T Bennett
- Postcode
- UB9 6JY
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the living conditions of the future occupiers of Cottage House with regard to any noise and disturbance
What decided it
The Inspector could not be sufficiently satisfied, based on the information before her, that noise from dogs barking in the outdoor training fields would not cause material adverse effects on the living conditions of future occupiers of Cottage House, particularly given the close proximity (8 metres) and the unpredictable, impulsive nature of dog barking.
The benefits of the proposed development (economic contribution, provision of a useful facility, reuse of a rural building) were substantially outweighed by the identified adverse effects on the living conditions of future residential occupiers through noise and disturbance, when assessed against the national decision-making policies of the Framework as a whole
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy EM8 of the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part One - Strategic Policies (2012)Policy DME 7 of the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part Two Development Management Policies (2020)Policy DMHB 11 of the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part Two Development Management Policies (2020)Policy D14 of the London Plan (2021)
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Policy S3Policy S5Policy GB2Policy GB6Policy GB7Policy P3
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.