Planning appeal decision
Fountain Far, Well Hill Nursery, Firmingers Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7QH
Planning appeal 3310954 at Fountain Far, Well Hill Nursery, Firmingers Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7QH (Sevenoaks District Council) was dismissed on 4 December 2024 by Inspector Walker A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether or not the development constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
remodelling of existing shed and change of use of barn
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- employment-industrial · Change of use
- Inspector
- Walker A
- Postcode
- BR6 7QH
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the development constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt
- the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
- the effect of the development on the living conditions of nearby residential occupiers, particularly as regards noise and disturbance
- the effect of the development upon highway safety from any increase in vehicular activity
- would the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, be clearly outweighed by other considerations. If so, would this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal?
What decided it
The material change of use to industrial purposes with associated external storage, machinery and vehicular activity causes significant harm to Green Belt openness, AONB character and appearance, and neighbouring residential living conditions, with no very special circumstances advanced to justify the inappropriate development.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LO1Policy LO8Policy SP1Policy EN2Policy EN5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 13Paragraph 115Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 182
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
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More decisions in Sevenoaks
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
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- 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.
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