Nutfield Green Park approved at Appeal
Rovia is pleased to have supported the successful grant of outline planning permission, at appeal, for the residential led mixed use scheme at Nutfield Green Park, a grey belt site in Surrey delivering some 166 new homes and an integrated retirement community.
This approval represents a significant turnaround from an earlier proposal, which was refused by Tandridge District Council in 2021 on multiple grounds, before Rovia’s involvement. A revised application, addressing previous concerns, was submitted in October.
Rovia Senior Director, David Bird, was the transport expert witness supported by Patrick West and Ben Brogan. David Commented: “In spite of reaching agreement with Surrey County Council that the proposals complied with the NPPF tests on sustainable location, Tandridge sought to maintain such an objection. The key issue at the appeal was whether the lack of certain facilities within an easy walking distance of the site (mainly a shop) rendered the site locationally unsustainable, notwithstanding other benefits.
Rovia presented a strong case that sustainable travel should be looked at holistically and take account all modes and improvements to those modes – particularly for travel to the nearby service centre of Redhill. The Inspector agreed. In particular, he concluded that, when referring to sustainable modes “Such modes can be any (and don’t have to be all) of the following: walking, cycling, ultra-low and zero emission vehicles, car sharing and public transport, as defined in the NPPF glossary”.
Furthermore “For the reasons indicated above, I consider that the development would offer a genuine choice of sustainable transport modes through the S106 obligations and above highway improvements, considering that Nutfield is located on the main A25 road only 3km east of Redhill, one of Surrey’s main towns. It would therefore comply with NPPF paragraph 110. It would prioritise sustainable transport modes in accordance with NPPF paragraph 115, taking account of its vision for the site, the type of development and its location”.
