Foxden Farm Claygate Road, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6BD

proposed conversion of agricultural barns into 2 units of residential accommodation including a change of use of existing studio into ancillary accommodation

Authority: Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Hickey A

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposed development having regard to local and national planning policy for the delivery of housing and accessibility to services and facilities
Whether it has been demonstrated that a reasonable attempt has been made to secure a suitable business re-use for the existing buildings on site
The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
Whether the occupants of the proposed dwellings would be safe from the risk of flooding

What decided it

The proposal conflicts with the development plan on multiple grounds—unsuitable location lacking sustainable accessibility, failure to demonstrate business re-use attempts, detrimental impact on rural character and appearance, and unmitigated flood risk to future occupiers—with no material considerations outweighing these harms.

Framework references: 80, 84, 159, 167

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

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.

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