On the 19 July 2021 the Council refused Planning Permission for the development of the Jolly Boatman site at Hampton Court. The applicant appealed this decision and following a public Inquiry on the 8 July 2022 the Planning Inspector issued his decision that the appeal was allowed and therefore permission has been granted for the development.

After careful consideration of the Planning Inspector’s reasons for approving the development and having taken specialist legal advice, the Council has served the Secretary of State with a letter of claim setting out that it is considering issuing a planning statutory review, which would seek to quash the appeal, on the basis that the Inspector failed to give legally adequate reasons for his disagreement with the advice of Historic England. The Secretary of State has until 4pm on 9 August 2022 to respond. After the response is received the Council will consider the next steps.

Whilst we are seeking representations on our draft Local Plan please remember that the status of the new Local Plan has no bearing on the outcome of this planning appeal. Whilst all applications are determined on their own merits, the principle of the redevelopment and the natural churn of brownfield sites within our towns and villages is set by National Planning Policy. The adoption of a new Local Plan will not prevent urban sites such as this coming forward, even if they are not identified in the plan as an allocated site.