Land east of The Paddocks, George Street, Staplehurst, TONBRIDGE, Kent, TN12 0RA

the change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for two gypsy families, each with two caravans including no more than one static caravan; laying of hardstanding and erection of two utility buildings

Authority: Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: caravan-gypsy · Change of use
Inspector: Wood T

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effects on local wildlife
The effects of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
The effects of the proposal on highway safety.

What decided it

The Inspector found that none of the three main issues (wildlife, character and appearance, highway safety) gave rise to unacceptable harm, particularly once suitable conditions for GCN protection and site development were agreed.

Plan policies cited: Policy DM 1, Policy DM 15

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

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What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.
- Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
- Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
- Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
- Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.
Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.
Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.
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