®Planning appeal decision
2 Yardley Park Road, Tonbridge, TN9 1NE
Planning appeal 3302608 at 2 Yardley Park Road, Tonbridge, TN9 1NE (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council) was dismissed on 15 December 2023 by Inspector Sylvester G, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on biodiversity and protected species, with particular regard to bat species.
Demolition of existing buildings and erection of 13 apartments with associated access, landscaping, parking and infrastructure
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Sylvester G
- Postcode
- TN9 1NE
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on biodiversity and protected species, with particular regard to bat species
- The character and appearance of the area, and whether it would preserve or enhance the character or appearance and significance of the Tonbridge Conservation Area
- The living conditions of the occupiers of Springhill Cottage, with particular regard to outlook, access to light, and noise and disturbance
What decided it
The unmitigated harm to biodiversity and protected bat species, which could not be adequately assessed or secured before permission, brought the proposal into conflict with development plan policies and the Framework's biodiversity protection requirements, and this harm significantly and demonstrably outweighed the housing supply benefits.
The significant housing supply benefits and economic benefits of the proposal were outweighed by the very substantial weight attached to the unmitigated harm to protected bat species and conflict with biodiversity protection policies, such that the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CP1Policy CP24Policy SQ1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 69Paragraph 174Paragraph 180
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 Tonbridge and Malling
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Dismissed11 February 20266001182440 Land and Building East of Rose Cottage, Lunsford Lane, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 6JA
- Allowed22 January 20263366031Land North East and South of 161 Wateringbury Road , East Malling , Kent, ME19 6JE
- Dismissed5 August 20253353979Ryarsh Place Farm, Birling Road, Ryarsh, Kent, ME19 5LS
- Allowed22 July 20253361029Parkview, 113 High Street, Tonbridge, TN9 1DL
- Allowed2 April 20253353896Land Opposite Grange Road at, Maidstone Road, Sevenoaks, Kent
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.