Plainview Planning has recently secured permission for the provision of high quality rear garden space for a family home on Green Belt land.
Permission was needed due to the restrictive nature of the garden curtilage and the location of the rear garden wall which provided minimal space, forcing the residents to use the front garden to enjoy any quality external space. This posed a danger due to its close proximity to a busy road.
We argued that whilst the site is on Green Belt land, curtilage or garden development is not specifically defined as inappropriate development within the NPPF. We also undertook a site specific assessment, clearly showing that the proposed development in this location, would not affect the openness of the Green Belt.
The NPPF puts great weight on considering local needs, and we successfully argued that the provision of a suitable rear garden for a family home also coincided with paragraph 57; improved living space, and paragraph 9; improving the conditions in which people live, work, travel and take leisure.
Due to its Green Belt location, we also purposefully sought to go beyond the requirements set out by local planning policy in providing a fully considered landscaping plan, confirmation that the site had no archaeological or ecological significance and argued that the addition of a natural hedgerow will allow local species to prosper.
This provides a prime example of the importance of reviewing each case on its individual merits and that certain developments within Green Belt can be won, if sensitively and considerately argued.
If you need any guidance on negotiating a curtilage extension or Green Belt designations then please contact us via info@plainview.co.uk.