S & B Car and Van Hire Limited, Forstal Lane, East Farleigh, Maidstone, ME15 0QE

Planning appeal 3255448 at S & B Car and Van Hire Limited, Forstal Lane, East Farleigh, Maidstone, ME15 0QE (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 31 January 2022 by Inspector Steen A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the unauthorised change of use of the land and associated operational development for commercial vehicle hire on the intrinsic character and beauty of the landscape.

without planning permission, the unauthorised change of use of the land to the use for commercial vehicle hire considered to be a Sui Generis use, with integral operational development including the laying of hardstanding, erection of boundary treatments and siting of an office unit. Which is contrary to both national guidance and local development policies

Authority: Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector: Steen A
Postcode: ME15 0QE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the unauthorised change of use of the land and associated operational development for commercial vehicle hire on the intrinsic character and beauty of the landscape
whether the proposal is in a suitable location in terms of its relationship with adjacent settlements

What decided it

The development harms the intrinsic character and beauty of the landscape and is located in an unsuitable remote location contrary to development plan policies, outweighing any economic benefits to the rural economy.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy SS1Policy DM3Policy DM30Policy SP17

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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022

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Notice varied and upheld24 April 20263364740
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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.