Kent & Surrey Golf Club, Crouch House Road, EDENBRIDGE, TN8 5LQ

replacement of existing golf clubhouse and hotel following demolition of existing to create a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) for the elderly alongside a new golf clubhouse with hotel accommodation containing shared social, managerial and operational space to operate and service the continued golf course use and the CCRC with all matters reserved except for access

Authority: Sevenoaks District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: residential · Other minor developments
Inspector: Pipkin R

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt; and
whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations. If so, would this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal.

What decided it

The cumulative weight of the housing land supply shortfall, the significant unmet need for specialist extra care housing, and associated wellbeing and economic benefits clearly outweighed the significant Green Belt harm, establishing very special circumstances.

The substantial harm from inappropriateness and the significant loss of openness to the Green Belt was clearly outweighed by the cumulative other considerations (general housing supply, extra care housing need, health and wellbeing, economic and highway benefits), amounting to very special circumstances justifying the development.

Framework references: 11, 56, 57, 61, 62, 137, 147, 148

Plan policies cited: Policy LO1, Policy LO8, Policy SP2

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.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.