# 46 The Beck, Elford, Tamworth (new dwelling in side garden)

- **Decision:** dismissed, 17 August 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: John Morrison (on recommendation of appeal planning officer Kim Vo)
- **Authority:** Lichfield (West Midlands)
- **Appeal reference:** 6009207
- **Application reference:** 26/00078/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** New two-storey 3-bed detached dwelling in the side garden of a semi-detached house
- **Homes:** 1
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** s38(6), DP3, TR6
- **Development plan policies:** Lichfield Local Plan Strategy 2015 CP3, CP5, BE1, ST1, ST2, Elford NP 2019 DH1
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, highway safety
- **Tags:** tier-2, plan-led, garden-infill, appeal-planning-officer, transitional-no-consultation

## Summary
A detached house squeezed into the side garden of a semi-detached house in Elford was dismissed. It would appear cramped, fill a characterful gap, and share a sub-standard access with no on-site turning (DL ¶8, ¶11-14). The case was decided plan-led, with no S4 balance, on the first day of the new Framework (DL ¶4).

## What made the difference
The side gap's townscape role, and the inability to turn vehicles on site (DL ¶7, ¶13-14).

## Policy findings
- **DP3: harm.** cramped detached dwelling fills a side gap that acts as a transition between two house types (DL 6-9)
- **TR6: fail.** shared access under 4.2 m and no on-site turning, so reversing onto the road (DL 10-17)
- **HO7: benefit (limited weight).** one self-occupied home; limited benefits (DL 18-19)

## Key facts
- Inside the settlement boundary; principle accepted (DL 21)
- Amended parking plans rejected at appeal (DL 3)
- Decided on 17 Aug 2026; new Framework changes "do not affect the substance of the main issues" (DL 4)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6009207
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/d6044811-a88f-4bd0-a139-db6a6945da77

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6009207.html

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