Planning appeal decision
Hever Stud Farm , Hever Road, Hever, Kent , TN8 7NG
Planning appeal 3298185 at Hever Stud Farm , Hever Road, Hever, Kent , TN8 7NG (Sevenoaks District Council) was dismissed on 19 June 2023 by Inspector Jolly J, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would represent inappropriate development in the Metropolitan Green Belt (the Green Belt), and if inappropriate development, the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt, and whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, or any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development.
for the provision of two new equine isolation units
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- agricultural · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Jolly J
- Postcode
- TN8 7NP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would represent inappropriate development in the Metropolitan Green Belt (the Green Belt), and if inappropriate development, the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt, and whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, or any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
- whether there is an essential need for rural worker's accommodation on the site
- biodiversity
What decided it
The cumulative benefits did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt, so very special circumstances were not demonstrated.
the economic, social and animal welfare benefits, even in combination, did not outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt sufficient to demonstrate very special circumstances
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LT2Policy L08Policy EN1Policy SP11
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 147Paragraph 151Paragraph 137Paragraph 174Paragraph 179Paragraph 180(a)
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 Sevenoaks
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Allowed1 October 20266004899Lower Fawke Farm, Bitchet Green Road, Fawke Common, Underriver, TN15 0JX
- Planning permission granted28 September 20263378336Land South East Of Oaklands, St Clere Hill Road, West Kingsdown, Kent, TN15 6AH
- Allowed24 September 20266011192Land Surrounding The Stables, Underriver House Road, Underriver, TN15 0SJ
- Dismissed22 September 20266012481Well Hill Nursery, Fountain Farm, Firmingers Road, Orpington, BR6 7QH
- Allowed22 September 20266012162Oakwood House, School Lane, West Kingsdown, TN15 6AW
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.
®