Snows Ride, Windlesham : Planning Appeal Success

Planning Appeal Success for Retirement Living Scheme and SANG at Snows Ride, Windlesham.

We’re pleased to have supported our Client Retirement Villages Group Ltd on the successful appeal for a mixed-use, landscape-led development that demonstrates how thoughtful planning can respond to housing, healthcare and environmental priorities in a coordinated way.

The approved scheme will deliver:
– An integrated retirement community of up to 154 homes with varying levels of care.
– 33 new dwellings, including 10 self-build plots.
– Land for a new GP surgery serving both future residents and the wider community.
– A substantial area of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), providing new publicly accessible open space while helping to reduce recreational pressure on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area.
– Biodiversity Net Gain, creating higher-quality habitat than currently exists on the site.

A key consideration throughout the appeal was achieving an appropriate balance between development and landscape. While the Inspector acknowledged that development would introduce change to part of the site, they concluded that the impact on the wider landscape character and the purposes of the Green Belt would be limited, recognising the relationship with surrounding development.

Importantly, the decision reflects the value of landscape as more than mitigation. The extensive new green infrastructure will provide accessible space for local communities, strengthen ecological value and support long-term stewardship alongside much-needed homes and community infrastructure.

This outcome demonstrates how landscape-led planning can help unlock complex sites by delivering environmental enhancement, community benefit and sustainable development together.
Congratulations to the wider project team whose expertise helped secure this positive outcome.

Do get in touch with Eleanor, Richard and Michael for further information.