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Dismissed7 December 20233308387

Land Adjoining Little Dane, Thurnham Lane, Thurnham, ME14 3LG

Planning appeal 3308387 at Land Adjoining Little Dane, Thurnham Lane, Thurnham, ME14 3LG (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 7 December 2023 by Inspector Holden S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether a residential conversion would be an acceptable use of a rural building and if not, would the site be a suitable location for housing.

the demolition of an existing structure and residential conversion of an existing storage barn with associated parking, landscaping and private amenity space

Authority
Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Change of use
Inspector
Holden S
Postcode
ME14 3LG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether a residential conversion would be an acceptable use of a rural building and if not, would the site be a suitable location for housing
  • The effect of the proposal on heritage assets
  • The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the Kent Downs National Landscape (KDNL), including protected and veteran trees

What decided it

The appellant's failure to make reasonable attempts to secure a business re-use for the storage barn, as required by Policy DM31 section 3, meant there was no justification for introducing a residential dwelling in the countryside where there is limited access to services and facilities.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy DM31Policy SS1Policy DM5Policy DM1Policy DM4Policy SP18Policy DM30Policy SP17

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

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  5. Allowed26 October 20266010539
    Land Rear Of 58 Church Street, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone, ME17 4HN

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.