# Storage containers, The Manor House, Headley Common Road, Headley

- **Decision:** dismissed, 9 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: B Pattison
- **Authority:** Mole Valley (South East)
- **Appeal reference:** 6005433
- **Application reference:** MO/2025/02228
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Retention of two containers used for storage purposes
- **Site context:** green-belt, open-countryside, valued-landscape, listed-building-setting
- **Green Belt:** yes (grey belt accepted)
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** GB7(1)(g)(ii), GB7(1)(g)(iii), GB6(2), HE6
- **Development plan policies:** Mole Valley Local Plan 2024 EN1, EN4, EN6, EN8
- **Main issues:** grey belt, openness, character and AGLV, heritage setting, VSC balance
- **Tags:** grey-belt-accepted, unmet-need-fail-non-housing, sustainable-location-fail, vsc-not-shown, openness-harm, heritage-harm-decisive, non-housing-grey-belt

## Summary
Retention of two storage containers on grey belt land at Headley. This is a non-housing grey belt case: it failed GB7(1)(g)(ii) because there was no evidenced need for this type of development, and (iii) because the location is car-dependent. As inappropriate development causing moderate openness harm, AGLV character harm and low-level harm to a Grade II setting, it was dismissed with no VSC.

## Issues and findings
- **Transition.** Parties invited to comment on the 2026 Framework (DL ¶3).
- **Grey belt: accepted** by the Council (DL ¶9). (g)(i) met, (iv) not applicable (DL ¶10).
- **GB7(1)(g)(ii): FAIL.** "there is no substantive evidence before me to demonstrate that there is an unmet need for this type of development" (DL ¶11).
- **GB7(1)(g)(iii): FAIL.** "Given the absence of nearby and regular public transport services, users of the storage containers would be heavily reliant on private car journeys" (DL ¶12).
- **Openness: moderate harm.** Two "relatively large, boxy structures into a space where previously there was no development" (DL ¶16, ¶18). Temporary status and alleged absence of conflict with purposes given limited weight (DL ¶32).
- **HE6: harm.** "at the lower end of less than substantial harm" (still using the 2024 label). Storage is "a private rather than a public benefit" (DL ¶28, ¶30).

## Planning balance
GB6(2) VSC: substantial weight to GB harm plus character, AGLV and heritage harm, against the limited weight of site-maintenance storage need. VSC not shown (DL ¶37).

## What made the difference
Outside housing, limb (ii) needs positive evidence of unmet need for the specific type of development. Footnote 41's automatic shortfall route is housing-only. The appellant offered only its own storage wishes.

## Transferable points
- For non-housing grey belt proposals, limb (ii) needs "substantive evidence … of an unmet need for this type of development"; a private requirement is not enough (DL ¶11).
- Limb (iii) is applied to non-residential uses too, judged by how users would reach the site (DL ¶12).
- A temporary permission does not avoid openness harm from structures on previously open land (DL ¶16, ¶32).

## Policy findings
- **AnnexB:grey-belt: pass.** Council accepted grey belt; GB7(1)(g)(i) met and (iv) n/a (DL 9-10)
- **GB7(1)(g)(ii): fail.** no substantive evidence of an unmet need for storage containers (DL 11)
- **GB7(1)(g)(iii): fail.** rural, relatively isolated, no nearby regular public transport, so users heavily car-reliant (DL 12-13)
- **GB6(2): fail (substantial weight).** inappropriate; moderate openness harm, spatial and visual; VSC not shown (DL 16-18, 35-37)
- **HE6: harm (considerable weight).** lower end of less than substantial harm to setting of Grade II Manor House (Guy Dawber); private benefit only (DL 28-30)
- **DP3: harm.** "strident, angular and utilitarian" containers in AGLV; conflict with LP EN4, EN8 (DL 20-24)

## Key facts
- Two shipping containers (two others already removed) on land beside stables, private single-track road, Metropolitan Green Belt and AGLV
- Temporary need claimed (site upkeep plus furniture for a hoped-for future dwelling)
- Grade II Manor House (1987 listing, early 20th C, Sir Guy Dawber) nearby; limited intervisibility

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6005433
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/5a640c68-c9c8-44bd-8fb2-f5868b4aeea9

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6005433.html

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