Planning appeal decision
38 Parkwood Green, Gillingham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 9PN
Planning appeal 3269403 at 38 Parkwood Green, Gillingham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 9PN (Medway Council) was allowed on 1 October 2021 by Inspector Smith D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal on the vitality and viability of a local shopping centre with reference to the prevalence of hot food takeaways.
change from a cafe/restaurant (Class Eb) to a hot food takeaway (sui generis)
- Authority
- Medway Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- retail · Change of use
- Inspector
- Smith D
- Postcode
- ME8 9PN
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal on the vitality and viability of a local shopping centre with reference to the prevalence of hot food takeaways
- The effect on the living conditions of residents above the unit in respect of noise, vibration and odour
What decided it
The centre remains healthy and viable with the unit staying in food and drink use, and the upgraded extraction system would adequately protect the living conditions of residents above.
The benefits of allowing the use to continue permanently after the temporary GPDO permission expires outweighed the marginal exceedance of informal guidance on takeaway concentration, given the centre's demonstrated health and the adequacy of odour and noise controls.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy R10Policy R18Policy BNE2
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in Medway
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2021
- Allowed14 July 20266002996Land off Ratcliffe Highway, Hoo St Werburgh, ME3 8PX
- Dismissed10 June 2026600654325 Franklin Road, Gillingham, ME7 4DF
- Dismissed29 May 202660051513 Kingswood Road, Gillingham, Medway, ME7 1DZ
- Allowed9 April 2026600191533 Stopford Road, Gillingham, ME7 4NG
- Dismissed5 February 2026600087744a Fox Street, Gillingham, ME7 1HH
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.
®