®Planning appeal decision
Southview , Hockenden Lane, Swanley, BR8 7QH
Planning appeal 3243790 at Southview , Hockenden Lane, Swanley, BR8 7QH (London Borough of Bromley) was allowed on 2 August 2022 by Inspector Orr H, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the operational development on the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within it.
for change of use of land to a residential caravan site for one Romani family. The site to contain one static caravan, one touring caravan, parking for 2 cars with associated hardstanding, and infrastructure
- Authority
- London Borough of Bromley
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Orr H
- Postcode
- BR8 7QH
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the operational development on the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within it
- Effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- Whether the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the grant of planning permission
What decided it
The identified Green Belt and character/appearance harm was not clearly outweighed by the unmet need and personal circumstances so as to justify permanent permission, but unresolved uncertainty over the Council's need evidence justified a temporary three-year permission instead of dismissal.
The substantial weight attributed to Green Belt harm by reason of inappropriateness, combined with moderate harm to openness and character, was not clearly outweighed by the unmet need for pitches and the personal circumstances/best interests of the children, so very special circumstances for permanent permission were not established; however, these considerations combined with unresolved evidence on need justified a temporary three-year permission.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 49Policy G2Policy 12
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 137Paragraph 147Paragraph 148
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022
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- Allowed7 August 20263376671Waldens Farm , Crockenhill Road, Swanley , Kent, BR8 8EP
- Split Decision5 August 20263378375Land Adjoining and to the West of Jodeen Animal Sanctuary, Sevenoaks Road, Halstead, Kent, TN14 7HR
- Invalid4 August 20263363810106 High Street, Beckenham, BR3 1EB
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.