®Planning appeal decision
Former South Darenth Fire Station, New Road, South Darenth, Kent, DA4 9AT
Planning appeal 3306252 at Former South Darenth Fire Station, New Road, South Darenth, Kent, DA4 9AT (Sevenoaks District Council) was dismissed on 12 July 2023 by Inspector Gee R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area, including the effect on the setting of the South Darenth Conservation Area.
Redevelopment of former South Darenth Fire Station to provide a two storey building with additional accommodation in the roofspace comprising 6 x two bedroom and 2 x one bedroom apartments together with 8 car parking spaces, ancillary refuse and bike stores
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Gee R
- Postcode
- DA4 9AT
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area, including the effect on the setting of the South Darenth Conservation Area
- whether the proposed development would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupiers
- the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupiers of existing dwellings
What decided it
The harm to character and appearance and the unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of housing delivery and economic contribution in the planning balance under NPPF paragraph 11(d)(ii).
The benefits of housing delivery on a previously developed site and modest economic benefits were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the harm to character and appearance and the unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP1 of the Sevenoaks District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy: Development Plan DocumentPolicy EN1 of the Sevenoaks District Council Allocations and Development Management PlanPolicy EN2 of the Sevenoaks District Council Allocations and Development Management PlanPolicy EN4 of the Sevenoaks District Council Allocations and Development Management Plan
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 130
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
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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.