®Planning appeal decision
The Wheelwright Arms The Green, Matfield, Tonbridge, TN12 7JX
Planning appeal 3271087 at The Wheelwright Arms The Green, Matfield, Tonbridge, TN12 7JX (Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) was allowed on 18 June 2021 by Inspector Andrews M, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the loss of a community facility in this location would be justified having regard to the relevant local and national policies.
the conversion of the existing public house to 3 No. self- contained residential dwellings including a studio ancillary to Plot 3
- Authority
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Andrews M
- Postcode
- TN12 7JX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the loss of a community facility in this location would be justified having regard to the relevant local and national policies
- The adequacy of living conditions for future residential occupants, with particular reference to private amenity space
What decided it
The existence of suitable alternative pub provision in Matfield (The Star and The Poet) satisfied Policy CR13's test, allowing the loss of The Wheelwright Arms without requiring demonstration of non-viability.
The less-than-substantial harm to the listed building and conservation area was outweighed by the social and economic public benefits of securing the building's optimum viable use through residential conversion
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CR13Core Policy 14Policy EN1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 83Paragraph 91Paragraph 92Paragraph 127Paragraph 196
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 Tunbridge Wells
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2021
- Dismissed20 October 20266012604Manchester House The Heath, Horsmonden, TN12 8HT
- Dismissed21 September 202660052291 The Down Cottages, Lamberhurst Down, Lamberhurst, TN3 8EX
- Dismissed21 September 202660052251 The Down Cottages, Lamberhurst Down, Lamberhurst, TN3 8EX
- Allowed3 September 20266012775Flat 3, 49 Madeira Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5SY
- Dismissed28 August 202660062602 Ashfield Cottages, Horns Hill, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, TN18 4XD
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.