Holiday let with tennis court at Sutton Hall, Hall Road, Sutton, Norwich
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by North Norfolk Development Committee on 24 Jul 2025.
What was proposed
The application sought retrospective permission for a dwelling’s change to holiday letting, an upgraded access surface and a tennis court.
“STALHAM - PF/24/2338 - Change of use from dwellinghouse (Class C3) to holiday let (no specified use class) including upgrade of an existing access surface and installation of a tennis court (retrospective) at Sutton Hall, Hall Road, Sutton…”
Officer report
Site and planning history
The site is in the countryside, with earlier holiday accommodation, holiday-let, extension, barn-conversion and enforcement matters recorded.
“RELEVANT SITE CONSTRAINTS: Countryside LDF designation Landscape Character Assessment - Settled Farmland Agricultural Land Classification - Agricultural Land: Grade 1 EA Risk Surface Water Flooding 1 in 30 Public Right of Way - Sutton FP4 Nutrient Neutrality Zone The site falls within multiple GIRAMS Zones of Influence.”
“PF/11/0585 Conversion of outbuilding to one unit of holiday accommodation (extension of period of commencement of planning permission reference 08/0513) (Approved)”
Officer report
What officers recommended
Officers recommended approval for up to 12 guests, subject to controls on noise, lighting, access, parking, landscaping and the tennis court.
“Concerns of residents and the Parish Council are noted. The remote location, limited capacity of the road network and quiet background noise levels are relevant material considerations to this application. However, the proposals are limited to being for short-term letting of 12 bedspaces. It is the incremental detriment arising from the intensification for short-term letting upon local amenity and highway safety that the application turns on.”
“Development in accordance with approved plans • No more than 12 guests • Noise management plan • Lighting scheme • Precise details of the tennis court to be submitted (including fencing, surfacing) • Close off Northern vehicular access • Access / parking and turning areas to be lain out in accordance with the submitted plan…”
Officer report
Who spoke
An objector and the agent spoke, while Councillors Taylor and Bayes supported refusal and raised concerns about residents, mitigation and engagement.
The committee vote
Members rejected the approval recommendation by nine votes to one, then unanimously voted to refuse the application.
“IT WAS RESOLVED by 1 vote in favour and 9 votes against to reject the recommendation for approval.”
Minutes
The members' reasons
“He referred the Committee to policy EN2 and believed that the proposed changed neither enhanced the special qualities of this historic building nor added to the distinctive nature of the settlement.”
Minutes
Source: the council's minutes, quoted word for word.
Sources
- North Norfolk Development Committee minutes, 24 July 2025
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of North Norfolk's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
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See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- North Norfolk Development Committee
- Council
- North Norfolk
- Date
- Thursday 24 July 2025
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Refused, against officer advice
- Vote
- Unanimous
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- North Norfolk committee decisions →
This committee's year
17 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting, 3 against officer advice.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.