Maplescombe Farm, Maplescombe Lane, Farningham, DARTFORD, DA4 0JY

Without planning permission, change of use of the land and associated buildings (Barn A and Barn B) for the storage of vehicles (88), motor vehicle repairs and motor vehicle spraying

Authority: Sevenoaks District Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector: Harbottle M

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the change of use constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt
Its effect on the openness and purposes of including land in the Green Belt
Its effect on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the landscape and scenic beauty of the Kent Downs Area National Landscape and its setting
Its effect on the significance of Maplescombe Farm House, a designated heritage asset
Its effect on the living conditions of nearby occupiers
If the change of use constitutes inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The distinction between the re-use of permanent buildings for motor vehicle repairs and spraying (not inappropriate development) and open storage of vehicles in an unassociated area (inappropriate development requiring very special circumstances that were not demonstrated).

Framework references: 142, 155, 182, 183

Plan policies cited: Policy LO1, Policy LO8, Policy SP1, Policy GB7, Policy EN2, Policy EN4, Policy EN5, Policy EN6

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.