Secretary of State refuses permission for major development for Land East of Tring in the Green Belt

Planning Permission has been refused for a major scheme (including up to 1,400 dwellings) in the Green Belt.

The case hinged on the extent of harm to the Green Belt and whether there were very special circumstances that justified development on the Green Belt.

Following a five-week inquiry, the Secretary of State agreed with the inspector that there was considerable harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and safeguarding the countryside from encroachment which attracted substantial weight in the planning balance. The Secretary of State departed from the planning inspector in ascribing separate weight to the suggestion that the scheme compensated for the Borough council’s failure to bring forward an up-to-date local development plan. Moreover, the Secretary of State disagreed with the inspector that the benefits of the proposed scheme clearly outweighed the impacts and therefore held that there were not very special circumstances.

Whilst not advanced as a reason for refusal by the Local Planning Authority, the inspector (and Secretary of State) accepted the Rule 6 party’s position that there would be harm to the character and appearance of the area and that this weighed against the proposal.

The Rule 6 Party was represented by Joe Thomas.