Sussex Topiary, Naldretts Lane, Rudgwick

6009474·Horsham·18 Sept 2026dismissed·DC/26/0271

Tier label used

settlement hierarchy

The tier sentence ¶11

“in accordance with the settlement hierarchy, whilst maintaining the existing”

Summary

Permission in principle for 3 to 9 self-build park homes on a field in open countryside near Rudgwick was refused on appeal. The site was not "limited infilling within groups of houses" (S5(1)(e)), was not near a station (S5(1)(h)) and fitted no other S5(1) category. Under S5(4) the housing benefits (substantial weight, 2.9-year supply) did not substantially outweigh car dependence and harm to the countryside. The council's boundaries were held out of date, but that was not enough to change the outcome.

The location finding

TR3: fail. Rudgwick facilities limited and beyond 800 m; unlit roads, part of Naldretts Lane without footway; unexplained "hail and ride" bus; no Connectivity Tool evidence (TR3(2)); no connectivity improvements (TR3(1)(e)) (DL 18-26)

Why this is cited

Strategy described; decided on character. In the register this counts as a descriptive mention that played no part in the reasoning.

Sources

Decision on the Planning Inspectorate appeals service · full decision note · letter pins-corpus/6009474.txt

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