The Daily Decision Digest: 9 July 2026
Appealbase recorded 68 appeal decisions on 9 July 2026, granting permission for 197 new dwellings in total, including a 149-home outline scheme in Ashfield and 42 flats across two linked city-centre schemes in St Albans — the selected decisions below turn mainly on grey belt policy, the tilted balance, sustainable transport, protected species evidence, heritage settings, specialist accommodation and the role of planning obligations.
Thurrock: Grey belt logistics scheme allowed at inquiry
A 43,640 sqm flexible B2/B8 employment development at the former London Fire Brigade Sports & Social Club was allowed. The Inspector found the site to be grey belt land and concluded that the scheme would not be inappropriate development in the Green Belt under paragraph 155 of the Framework. (6003807)
Medway: 800-home urban extension dismissed on transport and landscape grounds
An inquiry involving up to 800 homes, a primary school, local centre, C2 retirement living and open space at Wainscott was dismissed despite Medway’s housing land supply shortfall. The Inspector found that the site would not be made reasonably accessible to local services by sustainable transport modes. Landscape and visual harm to open countryside also carried substantial weight. (6002071)
Ashfield: 149 homes allowed where tilted balance outweighed countryside conflict
A hearing for up to 149 dwellings in Stanton Hill was allowed. The Inspector accepted that the proposal conflicted with countryside and settlement strategy policies, but found no unacceptable harm to landscape character, highway safety or accessibility to services. With Ashfield unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied and the benefits outweighed the limited development plan conflict. (6001192)
Buckinghamshire: Allocated 51-home scheme dismissed over protected species evidence
A hybrid hearing appeal for 51 dwellings at Weston Turville was dismissed, notwithstanding the site’s allocation within the wider Aylesbury Garden Town strategy and the Council’s 3.62-year housing land supply. The Inspector found only small harm on character and housing mix, and accepted that the statutory biodiversity gain condition was capable of being discharged. However, insufficient later-season survey evidence meant the effects on breeding birds and foraging and commuting bats could not be properly assessed, attracting substantial weight and defeating the tilted balance. (6003022)
St Albans: City-centre flats allowed despite conservation and skyline objections
Two linked appeals for 4/5-storey mixed-use buildings, providing 24 and 18 flats respectively, were allowed. The Inspector found the additional height would preserve the character and appearance of the St Albans Conservation Area and would not harm the setting of the Grade II* listed St Peters Church. Affordable housing was not required because the schemes were accepted as unviable, and the Inspector found no adopted policy basis for a late-stage review mechanism. (6006425; 6006426)
Windsor and Maidenhead: Care home allowed on protected employment site
A care home in Maidenhead was allowed on a Protected Employment Site. The Inspector gave limited weight to care-home design guidance applying to Scotland, accepted that the Council no longer defended employment land loss, and found that the location, air quality, pedestrian safety, internal layout and upper-floor amenity spaces would provide suitable living conditions. The decision confirms that effective use of land does not require the highest possible residential yield where specialist accommodation and employment benefits meet identified needs. (6002609)
Sevenoaks: Grey belt PiP dismissed for unsustainable location
Permission in Principle for 2-3 dwellings at Fawkham was dismissed. Although the parties agreed the site was grey belt, the Inspector found that paragraph 155 was not satisfied because the site was not in a sustainable location: local services were limited, there were no safe walking or cycling connections, and future occupiers would rely on the private car. Green Belt harm, including loss of openness, was not clearly outweighed by the modest housing contribution. (6006343)
East Hampshire: Single dwelling allowed near SPA after project-specific HRA
A detached dwelling within 400m of the Wealden Heath Phase II SPA was allowed. The Inspector accepted a project-specific HRA, finding no likely significant adverse effect beyond reasonable scientific doubt due to the barrier effect of the A3, the walking distance to SPA access points and alternative open spaces nearby. Although the proposal conflicted with the spatial strategy and future occupiers would likely rely on cars, East Hampshire’s 2.9-year housing land supply meant the tilted balance applied and the modest harms did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. (6007330)
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