The Daily Decision Digest: 4-6 July 2026
AppealBase indexed 54 appeal decisions since Friday, which together granted permission for 280 net new dwellings in Maldon, Somerset, Greenwich, Cornwall and Torridge – the selected cases below cover housing land supply and the tilted balance, Green Belt and grey belt policy, rural employment on previously developed land, nutrient neutrality, affordable housing obligations, HMO impacts and the removal of highway mitigation.
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Maldon: 275 homes allowed where housing and affordable housing benefits outweighed landscape and highways harm
Following an inquiry, outline permission was granted for up to 275 homes, 40% affordable, plus nursery land, cemetery extension land, drainage, access and active travel works. The Inspector found conflict with the spatial strategy and moderate landscape harm, with limited road network harm, but the Council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and the tilted balance was engaged. (6004910)
Bromsgrove: Self-build accessible dwelling dismissed despite Green Belt exception
At a hearing, a self-build accessible dwelling in the Green Belt was found not to be inappropriate development because it fell within the previously developed land exception and would not cause substantial harm to openness. However, the appeal was dismissed because the site was not suitably accessible by sustainable modes and the proposal would require the loss of a protected ash tree. (6008420)
Cheshire East: Grey belt site still failed the paragraph 155 sustainability test
Permission in Principle for one dwelling in the Green Belt was dismissed. The Inspector accepted that the site fell within the Framework definition of grey belt and that the Council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, but found that the site was not in a sustainable location because access to services, facilities and bus stops would involve unsafe or unattractive walking along unlit 60mph roads. (6007446)
Chichester: Rural employment uses on previously developed land dismissed under new local plan
Four retrospective employment-related appeals at the Old Army Camp were dismissed. The Inspector gave moderate weight to economic benefits and the use of previously developed land, but found all four uses conflicted with the newly adopted Chichester Local Plan settlement hierarchy and countryside policies because they had not been shown to require a countryside location or support rural diversification. (6003759)
Malvern Hills: Recently adopted plan carried decisive weight for four rural dwellings
An appeal for four dwellings at Pendock was dismissed after the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review had been adopted during the appeal process. The site was treated as open countryside in a category 4 village, with poor access to higher-order services and no public transport evidence. The recent plan, and its five-year supply position, were central to the planning balance. (6006630)
Somerset: Nutrient neutrality secured through package treatment plant
Permission was granted to subdivide an existing dwelling into two dwellings within the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar catchment. The Inspector carried out an appropriate assessment and accepted that, subject to conditions, replacing the septic tank with a specified package treatment plant would reduce phosphate loading. (6006687)
Broadland: Section 73 appeal failed to remove pedestrian crossing requirement
An appeal to vary a condition attached to an earlier permission for up to four dwellings was dismissed. The appellant accepted a crossing was needed but argued it should be provided elsewhere as part of a wider strategy. The Inspector found the existing condition remained necessary to make the approved development acceptable. (6008746)
South Tyneside: Six-person HMO allowed where concentration and parking impacts were not evidenced
A change of use from a four-bedroom dwelling to a six-bedroom C4 HMO was allowed in Jarrow. The Inspector accepted some intensification but found no evidence of harmful HMO overconcentration, no significant harm to neighbours’ living conditions and no unacceptable highway or pedestrian safety impact. (6006345)
Greenwich: Retrospective commercial-to-residential conversion allowed with compliance conditions
The change of two Class E units to two flats was allowed retrospectively, subject to conditions. The Inspector accepted amended measures for privacy and outlook, including obscure glazing and balcony screening, and imposed conditions requiring noise insulation, cycle storage and waste arrangements. The decision is relevant to retrospective residential conversions where mitigation can be made enforceable. (6007875)
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