Key facts

Phase I

Wheeler Street Nurseries operated as a retail and wholesale nursery. The retail part of the business about 1.75 acres was no longer financially viable and the owner was looking to retire. The wholesale part of the business operates from the land to the north (circa 1.3 acres) was set to continue.

The whole of the site was located in the Green Belt. This was however a previously developed ‘brownfield site’. Many of the existing building were derelict and it detracted from the adjacent conservation area. There was a strong case for ensuring that wherever possible, redundant and surplus brownfield land that is serving no useful purpose is developed.

An outline application redevelopment with up to 20 dwellings (WA/2016/1067) was refused by Waverley Borough Council on 4th November 2016 on the grounds inter alia that ‘there was insufficient information to demonstrate that the site constitutes Previously Developed Land (PDL)’ Consequently the proposal comprised inappropriate development in the Green Belt.    
A Public Inquiry in May 2017 held that the site was Previously Developed Land and concluded that the Local Planning Authority had behaved unreasonably and awarded costs against Waverley.

The inspector also concluded however that the proposal would have a greater impact on openness of the Green Belt and the purpose of including land within the Green Belt and dismissed the appeal.

A third detail planning application ref WA/2018/1688 for the rection of 18 dwellings was granted planning permission on 23rd January 2019. The site was sold to a developer with the benefit of the detailed planning permission