Councillor Linda Haysey, Leader of East Hertfordshire District Council (S9 E5)

Have We Got Planning News For You

Our Special Guest this week is Councillor Linda Haysey, Leader of East Hertfordshire District Council.

Decisions of the Week:

• Decision of an inspector dated 8 March allowing an appeal on land at Little Chalfont, Amersham against the decision of Buckingham Council to refuse outline permission for C3 affordable, custom build and retirement homes together with a C2 care home on land in the Green Belt. VSC demonstrated.

• Decision of an inspector dated 13 March on land outside the settlement boundary at Grove, dismissing an appeal against the refusal of the Vale of White Horse DC to grant permission for a residential scheme of up to 300 C3 homes; issues re impact on countryside & landscape and which figure to use to calculate 5 yr HLS, LHN of 636 or a higher local plan figure.
• Decision of an inspector dated 10 March 2023 dismissing an appeal against the decision of Maidstone BC to refuse outline permission for approximately 109 homes on a greenfield site, 130 m beyond the settlement boundary at Ashford Road, Harrietsham. The inspector refused to entertain an alternative scheme for 86 dwellings, designed to overcome landscape issues. Issues around suitability of the appeal site, impact on character and appearance & weight to be given to most important development plan policies given an out-of-date housing requirement.
• Decision of an inspector dated 9 March dismissing an appeal against the decision of Wokingham BC to refuse outline permission for approximately 200 homes on greenfield land abutting but outside the settlement boundary at Hurst Reading issues re compliance with the development plan, impact on trees & hedgerows, BMV agricultural land, sustainable location & impact on countryside & landscape, highway safety.