Abinger Common School, Abinger Lane, Abinger, RH5 6HZ Data via plota.co.uk

MO/2026/00595 - Detailed Approved

Proposal

Change of use of a former dwelling to a school building. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
31 Mar 2026
✓
Validated
13 May 2026
✓
Approved
16 Jul 2026

Approved on 16 Jul 2026 · Delegated · Last checked 6 Sept 2026

Site constraints 8

Ancient woodland
Green belt: London
Inappropriate development needs very special circumstances.
Green belt policy allows a short list of exceptions, such as limited extensions and replacement buildings. Anything else needs very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the harm.
Surrey Hills National Landscape
Great weight to conserving the landscape; major development restricted.
Previously an area of outstanding natural beauty, which is still the designation in law. Since 2023 authorities must seek to further its purpose, not merely have regard to it.
Public footpath 18 m away
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site: obstructing a path without a diversion order is an offence, and work cannot start until the order is confirmed.
Compiled from highway authority data, not the legal definitive map. A few authorities have not published, so no path shown is not proof there is none.
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Ancient woodlandCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Also on the record
Scheduled monument 160 m away: Motte castle at Abinger Manor.; 3 listed buildings within 150 m; Inside the Abinger Common built-up area.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3

Checked on 11 September 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Application type
Detailed
Postcode
RH5 6HZ
Received
31 Mar 2026
Validated
13 May 2026
Ward
Mickleham, Westcott & Okewood
Parish
Abinger
Case officer
Show
Target decision
8 Jul 2026
Decision
APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS
Decision date
16 Jul 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show
Agent
WS Planning & Architecture
Freehold owner
Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 64 days from validation, 6 days faster than Mole Valley's median of 70 for changes of use. Approved, as 69% of changes of use here are.

31%decided within 8 weeks
69%approved
67decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Mole Valley in the last twelve months, from validation. Mole Valley decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP/2026/00458
Comments by
7 Jun 2026
Committee
23 Apr 2026
Statutory expiry
16 Jul 2026
Env. assessment
No
Mole Valley
Planning Authority Score
2.1/10
Poor
#270 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Mole Valley is slower than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #240 out of 296. Mole Valley is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 76% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 76% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Mole Valley decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
72%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #291 of 296
76%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #291 of 296
50%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #240 of 296
43%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #172 of 296
47%
Minor dwellings approved
114 decided (1-9 homes)
71%
Major dwellings approved
7 decided (10+ homes)
93%
Change of use approved
15 decided
913
Total decisions
259 refused in the year to March 2026

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Freehold owner: Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Source: HM Land Registry, UK and overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, September 2026 release.