Hastings development for 67 homes off Harrow Lane approved

In a decision notice published on Monday (October 31), a planning inspector has approved a proposal from developer Park Lane Homes to build 67 houses on land between Harrow Lane and The Ridge.

The application had been before the council’s planning committee at a meeting in April last year, during which councillors refused permission against officer advice.

The reason given for refusal was that the scheme would be an overdevelopment of the site, causing harm to the character and appearance of the area.

This view was not shared by the planning inspector, however, who concluded the scheme would neither be too dense nor out-of-character with other nearby properties.

Moreover, the inspector said the council had acted ‘unreasonably’ in reaching this reason for refusal.

This, the inspector said, was because the reason had not formed part of the discussion until councillors — unhappy that the proposed number of homes exceeded the amount set out in a previous outline application — had already suggested refusal.

In their decision notice, the inspector said: “The transcript shows that the impacts on the character and appearance of the area were not an integral part of the debate or discussion until after the suggestion that the application be refused, when the reason for refusal was being drafted. Consequently, there is very little detail surrounding the rationale behind the decision.

“There is no further evidence of discussion of this matter, or why, despite being different to those houses opposite and being a higher density than previously approved, this amounted to harm to [the] character of the area.

“The council’s appeal statement expands upon these issues by discussing the character of the area and identifying where some specific examples of differences with the appeal scheme lie.

“However, it is not evident that this informed the refusal of the planning application and in this respect, I find the council made vague and generalised assertions about the proposals impact, unsupported by objective analysis.”

In light of these findings the inspector both granted planning permission and ordered the council to pay the costs incurred by Park Lane Homes during the appeal process.