2 Mays Cottages, St. Helens Lane, East Farleigh, Maidstone, ME15 0LA

the erection of 1no. single storey dwelling together with a car barn (part retrospective) and associated garden, access, landscaping and other works

Authority: Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Ellis G

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
whether or not the proposal is consistent with policies relating to the location of housing, including with regard to accessibility of local services and facilities

What decided it

The proposal would result in significant visual harm to the landscape setting and conflict with the spatial strategy for housing location, with no material considerations of sufficient weight to overcome these harms.

The neutral matters of neighbour support and no impact on living conditions did not outweigh the harm to character and appearance and conflict with the development plan.

Plan policies cited: SS1, SS17, DM30, SP17

Judgments cited: Braintree DC v SSCLG, Greyread Ltd & Granville Developments Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 610

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.

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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