Stable at Stud Farm, Dunn Street Road, Bredhurst, Kent, ME7 3NA

conversion of an existing stable at Stud Farm to provide a new two bedroom dwelling with associated parking, landscaping, private amenity space and external store

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

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposed residential use would be appropriate
the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, having particular regard to the location of the site within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
whether the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing, having regard to the accessibility of services and facilities

What decided it

The failure to demonstrate that every reasonable attempt had been made to secure a suitable business re-use for the building, combined with the harm to the character and appearance of the Kent Downs AONB, meant the proposal conflicted with the development plan with no material considerations to outweigh this conflict.

Framework references: 152, 84

Plan policies cited: Policy DM31, Policy SP17, Policy SD2, Policy SD7, Policy SD9, Policy SS1, Policy DM1, Policy DM30, Policy DM5

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.

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