A rural housing development has been turned down at appeal.
In a decision notice published on Thursday (August 8), a planning inspector dismissed an appeal on proposals to build two new homes in Pound Lane at the north end of Laughton.
The scheme, from developer Helix Homes Limited, had been refused by Wealden District Council in October due to concerns about its scale, design and potential impact on both local wildlife and a nearby listed building.
For its part the developer argued the scheme brought several significant benefits, which it argued should have been enough to overcome the council’s concerns.
Ultimately, however, the inspector found these benefits did not outweigh the harms of the scheme.
In their decision notice, the inspector said: “The proposed development would deliver two new homes on the site, providing good quality accommodation. The site could be redeveloped quickly, and it would represent a more efficient use of previously developed land.”
They added: “However, the appeal proposal would result in less than substantial harm to the significance of the Grade II listed building and this would not be outweighed by the public benefits of the development.
“The application of policies in the [National Planning Policy] Framework which seek to conserve and enhance the historic environment therefore provide a clear reason for refusal. In addition, the appeal proposal would result in harm to the character and appearance of the area. This adds further weight against granting planning permission.
“Therefore, in conclusion, whilst acceptable in some regards, the proposal conflicts with the development plan as a whole and there are no material considerations, including the Framework, which outweigh that conflict.”
During the appeal process, Wealden District Council took the unusual step of seeking costs from the developer. The council had argued the developer had “acted unreasonably in procedural terms by delaying information and failing to adhere to deadlines”.
While the planning inspector noted how some evidence had been submitted at a late stage, they did not consider this had been unreasonable or led to unnecessary expense by the council. As a result, the inspector did not consider the claim for costs to be justified.
For further information on the proposals see application reference WD/2023/1925/F on the Wealden District Council website.
