®Planning appeal decision
The Fords, Bonfire Hill, Southwater, RH13 9BU
Planning appeal 6012640 at The Fords, Bonfire Hill, Southwater, RH13 9BU (Horsham District Council) was dismissed on 15 October 2026, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the site is suitable for residential development with particular regard to development plan policies concerning the location of development.
construction of 2 x detached dwellings with garages utilising existing access and landscaping
- Authority
- Horsham District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Postcode
- RH13 9BU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site is suitable for residential development with particular regard to development plan policies concerning the location of development
- whether the site is suitable for residential development with particular regard to the character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The harm to the character and appearance of the area through the introduction of built form that would suburbanise the currently undeveloped site and encroach into the countryside is not substantially outweighed by the benefits of two self-build dwellings and economic benefits, particularly given the site's location outside the settlement boundary and failure to meet any of the specified criteria in Policy S5 of the Framework.
applying Policy S5 part 4 of the Framework, the benefits of providing new low density, single storey self-build housing and economic benefits, to which moderate weight was attached, do not substantially outweigh the harm to the character and appearance of the area, to which significant weight was attached, and accordingly the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not indicate that permission should be granted
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 1 HDPFPolicy 2 HDPFPolicy 3 HDPFPolicy 4 HDPFPolicy 25 HDPFPolicy 26 HDPFPolicy 32 HDPFPolicy 33 HDPFPolicy SNP1 Southwater Neighbourhood Plan
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.