Land Adj to Highfield House, Maidstone Road, Marden, TN12 9AG

for the erection of 5 bespoke dwellings and the ability to provide a footpath link to Marden Cricket and Hockey Club, together with associated access and landscaping

Authority: Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Hall C

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area

What decided it

The significant harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding area caused by the excessive mass, bulk, cramped layout and suburban appearance of the proposed development outweighs the benefits of housing delivery and the footpath provision.

The harm to character and appearance significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits of the dwellings proposed and the footpath link, even when considered against the presumption in favour of sustainable development

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy SP17, Policy DM1, Policy DM30, Policy BE1 of the Marden Neighbourhood Plan 2017-2031

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.