Plans to build a home on garden land in Hastings turned down

In a decision notice, a planning inspector dismissed an appeal connected with proposals to build a two-storey house on garden land to the rear of 11 Linton Road.

The scheme, which would have been accessed via Winterbourne Close, had refused by Hastings Borough Council in June last year. At the time, officers had raised concerns about its impact on the character of the area and neighbouring properties.

The applicant challenged this decision, pointing to council’s lack of a five-year supply of housing land as a factor in favour of the scheme going ahead. In such circumstances, national planning rules set out how there should be a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’.

Ultimately, however, the inspector considered that scheme would not ‘relate well’ to the surrounding area and this would cause harm which outweighed the benefits of an additional home.

In their decision notice, the inspector said: “I have found that the proposed development would harm the character and appearance of the local area and the harm I have concluded would be significant and as a result the environmental role of sustainable development would not be achieved.

“When assessed against the policies in the [National Planning Policy] Framework taken as a whole the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”

In light of this view, the appeal was dismissed.

For further information see application reference HS/FA/23/00131 on the Hastings Borough Council website.