®Planning appeal decision
Land at Battle Street, Cobham, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 3BZ
Planning appeal 3282506 at Land at Battle Street, Cobham, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 3BZ (Gravesham Borough Council) was dismissed on 7 December 2022 by Inspector Smith D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed dwelling would be inappropriate development within the Green Belt and, if so, whether other considerations clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm, so as to amount to very special circumstances.
erection of a 4 bedroom detached house, including access, landscaping, parking and associated works
- Authority
- Gravesham Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Smith D
- Postcode
- DA12 3BZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed dwelling would be inappropriate development within the Green Belt and, if so, whether other considerations clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm, so as to amount to very special circumstances
- Whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Cobham Conservation Area and the effect on the setting of the adjacent Meadow Cottages
- The effect on the landscape and scenic beauty of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and on the Ashenbank and Cobham Parkland Landscape Character Area
What decided it
The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt with no very special circumstances to justify it, as the site is physically outside the village and therefore does not qualify for the limited infilling exception, combined with the failure to preserve or enhance the conservation area and harm to the listed building setting.
The housing supply benefits and economic benefits of the proposal were weighty but not of sufficient strength to clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt, the erosion of openness, the failure to preserve or enhance the conservation area, and the harm to the setting of the listed building.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Core Strategy Policy CS02Core Strategy Policy CS12Core Strategy Policy CS19Core Strategy Policy CS20Local Plan First Review Policy TC2Local Plan First Review Policy TC3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 149Paragraph 202Paragraph 11
- Judgments
- Julian Wood v SSCLG and Gravesham Borough Council [2015] EWCA Civ 195
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 2022
- 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.