Horam development decision overturned on appeal

In a decision published earlier this month, a planning inspector granted outline planning permission to build up to 38 homes on land next to a property known as Old Orchard House, off of Horebeech Lane.

By approving the scheme, the inspector overturned a decision by Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee South to refuse planning permission in March 2022.

The site is opposite Bovis Homes’ Rosemead Place development, which is already under construction.

While the scheme had been recommended for approval by council planning officers at the time, councillors felt the developer — Chailey Homes Ltd — had failed to convince them the plans would not result in an “unacceptable and inappropriate form of development”.

They also raised concerns about the sustainability of the development, arguing that it would be a car dependent scheme.

Both of these reasons had seen previous plans to build up to 58 homes on the same site refused and dismissed at appeal.

While the inspector acknowledged that the scheme did conflict with local planning policies (including by causing some harm to the character and appearance of the area), they concluded that this would be outweighed by the benefits of providing new housing.

As a result, they overturned the council’s decision and granted planning permission.

In their report, the inspector said: “As a predominantly rural area, with a relative lack of previously developed land, it is unavoidable that some countryside will be required to be built on to meet housing needs.

“The benefits of the scheme towards meeting local housing need, including that which is affordable or provided on a self-build basis, are accounted for above.

“Any adverse impacts of allowing this housing would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh these considerable benefits, when assessed against the [National Planning Policy] Framework policies taken as a whole. The presumption in favour of sustainable development therefore applies to the proposal.”

For further information on the proposals see application reference WD/2021/2356/MAO on the Wealden District Council website.