Land off Forest Hill, Tovil, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6FG

Planning appeal 3272436 at Land off Forest Hill, Tovil, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6FG (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 8 July 2022 by Inspector MacLeod R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the development and loss of open space on the character and appearance of the area.

3 x 4-bedroom dwellings with associated car parking and landscaping

Authority: Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: MacLeod R
Postcode: ME15 6FG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the development and loss of open space on the character and appearance of the area
the effect of the siting of the northernmost house on the health and visual amenity group of sycamore trees
the effect of activities at an adjacent leisure centre on living conditions of future occupiers of the dwellings
the effect of the development on protected species

What decided it

The cumulative harm to character and appearance, trees, living conditions of future occupiers, and inadequate protected species mitigation, combined with the Council's demonstrated five-year housing land supply, justified dismissal.

The modest contribution to housing need was outweighed by the harm to local character and appearance, the adverse effect on the sycamore trees' amenity value and longevity, the incompatibility with living conditions due to proximity to the games court, and the inadequate mitigation for protected species.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy SP1Policy DM1Policy DM3
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11

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

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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.