Planning appeal decision
Dancing Green Lenham Road, Headcorn, Ashford, TN27 9LG
Planning appeal 3287610 at Dancing Green Lenham Road, Headcorn, Ashford, TN27 9LG (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 21 September 2022 by Inspector Smith D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the location is suitable for the proposed development having regard to local policies.
erection of vehicle workshop, training hub and drop in centre for military veterans and creation of new vehicle access
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- employment-industrial · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Smith D
- Postcode
- TN27 9LG
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the location is suitable for the proposed development having regard to local policies
- The effect on the character and appearance of the area
- Whether any harm would be outweighed by other material considerations, including the proposed use
What decided it
The visual harm caused by the substantial industrial building in the countryside and the poor location when judged against relevant development plan policies outweighed the benefits of providing a facility for military veterans, particularly given the lack of certainty that the veterans' support services would be delivered and sustained.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SS1Policy SP17Policy DM37Policy DM1Policy DM30
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022
- Dismissed29 October 2026601053621 Tasker Close, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME15 8NZ
- Allowed27 October 20266015190Little Southernden, Southernden Road, Headcorn, TN27 9LL
- Allowed27 October 20266011721Loxley House, Gravelly Bottom Road, Kingswood, Maidstone, ME17 3NT
- Allowed27 October 20266011076Little Southernden, Southernden Road, Headcorn, TN27 9LL
- Allowed26 October 20266010539Land Rear Of 58 Church Street, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone, ME17 4HN
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.
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