- Decision
- dismissed, 30 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: B Phillips
- Authority
- South Downs National Park Authority (South East)
- Appeal reference
- 6006266
- Application reference
- SDNP/25/03763/LIS
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Listed building consent to convert part of a Grade II stable block and reconfigure the adjoining apartment into one 3-bed dwelling
- Homes
- 1
- Site context
- national park, listed building setting
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- HE6(4), HE4(2)
- Development plan policies
- South Downs Local Plan 2019 SD1, SD5, SD12, SD13, SD25
- Main issues
- special interest of Grade II listed stables; setting of Grade II Adsdean House
Summary
Listed building consent to extend a flat into the rest of a Grade II stable block was refused on appeal. The internal works were harmless, but new windows and a door on two levels of the plain rear elevation would domesticate it, lose original stone, and weaken the stables' contribution to the setting of Adsdean House. The low harm was not outweighed by public benefits, and the appellant had not shown that this scheme was the only way to secure reuse or energy efficiency.
Issues and findings
- Transition. "The Council and the appellant have had opportunity to comment on this" (DL ¶5).
- Significance of the rear. "Although the rear is not included in the list description therefore, this does not indicate a lack of special interest or significance" (DL ¶9).
- Harm to the stables and the house's setting. "This amount of fenestration would result in the rear elevation having the appearance of a dwelling" (DL ¶18). "I find the harm to both heritage assets to be, individually and cumulatively, at a low level of harm but nevertheless is of considerable importance and weight" (DL ¶21).
- HE6(4) public benefits: FAIL. "it is not demonstrated that this conversion scheme is the only way to secure the long-term reuse of the vacant/underused building nor enable energy efficiency and low carbon heating measures to be employed" (DL ¶23). "in giving considerable importance and weight to the harm to the significance of this designated heritage asset, I find that this would not be outweighed by the public benefits that the proposal would generate" (DL ¶24).
- HE4(2). "the harm identified to the significance of the designated heritage assets has not been supported by clear and convincing justification" (DL ¶25).
- National Park purpose. The works "would not conserve nor enhance the cultural heritage of the National Park" (DL ¶28).
Planning balance
HE6(4) (listed building consent, s16(2)). HE6(1) substantial weight to conservation stated correctly (DL ¶24). Harm graded "low" but given considerable importance and weight, against economic and housing-stock benefits. No S4/S5 balance (consent appeal).
What made the difference
The plain rear elevation's functional simplicity was part of the significance, and the scheme opened it up on two levels. The appellant did not show the extra openings were needed for light, ventilation or access. A layout using the existing openings and side path could have avoided the harm.
Transferable points
- Unlisted-in-the-description elevations can still carry significance where their plainness reflects the original function (DL ¶9).
- HE6(4)'s named public benefits (reuse of a vacant building, energy efficiency) are filtered by whether the harmful scheme is needed to deliver them (DL ¶23).
- Harm at "a low level" still "is of considerable importance and weight" under HE6(3) (DL ¶21).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HE6(1) | harm | substantial | HE6(1) stated correctly - "substantial weight should be given to the asset's conservation"; low harm to the Grade II stables (fabric loss, domesticated rear elevation) and to the setting of Grade II Adsdean House (DL 17-21, 24) |
| HE6(3) | harm | considerable | low harm, individually and cumulatively, "of considerable importance and weight" (DL 21) |
| HE6(4) | fail | economic and housing-stock benefits; not shown that rear windows are needed or that this is the only way to secure reuse of the vacant building or energy-efficiency measures (DL 22-24) | |
| HE4(2) | fail | no clear and convincing justification (DL 25) | |
| N4 | fail | does not conserve or enhance the cultural heritage of the National Park; LURA 2023 duty (DL 27-28) | |
| N6 | not-engaged | Singleton and Cocking Tunnels SAC zone of influence; bat mitigation not pursued as appeal fails (DL 29-30) |
Key facts
- Grade II former stables of c.1850 (list entry 1026171), in the setting of Grade II Adsdean House (1234531)
- Three windows and a doorway into the plain rear elevation, on two levels, cut into original stone (DL 17-18)
- Internal works (stud walls, staircase, freestanding mezzanine) and a window in a rendered rear projection found harmless (DL 15-16)
- Existing 1-bed unit to become a 3-bed dwelling (DL 14)
- Path to the rear around the side "not excessively inconvenient" (DL 23)
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.