®Planning appeal decision
Rockley House Wrotham Road, Culverstone, Gravesend, DA13 0QN
Planning appeal 3282227 at Rockley House Wrotham Road, Culverstone, Gravesend, DA13 0QN (Gravesham Borough Council) was dismissed on 24 January 2023 by Inspector Brownless E, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
the ‘conversion of existing garages and stores to a 2 bedroom single storey dwelling including new rooflights and fenestration changes. New vehicle access and driveway
- Authority
- Gravesham Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Brownless E
- Postcode
- DA13 0QN
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area with particular regard to the Meopham Downs Landscape Area
- the effect of the proposed development on highway safety
- would the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, be clearly outweighed by other considerations, and if so would this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt with significant harm to openness and the purposes of Green Belt designation, combined with substantial harm to landscape character from hedgerow loss and unresolved highway safety concerns, which together are not clearly outweighed by the benefit of one additional dwelling.
The significant benefit of providing one additional dwelling to address the Council's housing land supply shortfall was outweighed by the substantial harm to the Green Belt (inappropriateness and loss of openness), considerable harm to character and appearance through hedgerow loss in the Meopham Downs Landscape Character Area, and highway safety concerns, such that very special circumstances do not exist to justify the development.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS02Policy CS11Policy CS12Policy CS19Policy T1Policy T5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 148Paragraph 149Paragraph 150
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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Gravesham
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Allowed15 October 20266007106Blackthorn Farm, Wrotham Road, Culverstone Green, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0QW
- Dismissed1 September 202660056037 Hornfield Cottages, David Street, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0BU
- Dismissed10 June 20266003544Land South of White Post Lane, Cobham, Gravesend, DA13 9AX
- Planning permission granted19 March 20263349903Land North of Brecon Heron Hill Lane, Culverstone, Meopham, DA13 0DT
- Allowed11 March 20266001663Clijon Farm, Whitehill Road, Meopham, Kent, DA13 0NY
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.