®Planning appeal decision
Roseacre Scragged Oak Road, Detling, MAIDSTONE, ME14 3HL
demolition of 7(no) outbuildings; erection of 1(no) detached dwelling, 3(no) replacement buildings to support existing rural enterprise, comprising of 1(no) polytunnel with associated hard and soft landscaping, erection of farm shop/cafe with attached machinery store, and erection of 1(no) timber building. Part retrospective for change of use of land for keeping of livestock, retention of existing timber storage and processing yard, retention and provision of plant nursery
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- agricultural · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Bowyer J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the proposed dwelling would accord with development plan policies relevant to housing proposals outside of settlement boundaries including with particular regard to the requirement for a dwelling on the site, and the financial basis of the enterprise
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area and the landscape and scenic beauty of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- the effect of the proposal on highway safety
- whether or not the proposed retail use would accord with development plan policies relevant to retail proposals outside of settlement boundaries including with regard to whether or not it would support the maintenance of land in agricultural and other appropriate land based uses
What decided it
The cumulative and significant harm to the character, appearance and landscape/scenic beauty of the Kent Downs AONB, combined with unjustified need for the dwelling and harm to highway safety, outweighed the benefits and personal circumstances relied on by the appellant.
The great weight attached to harm to the AONB, together with significant harm to character and appearance, harm to highway safety and an unjustified countryside dwelling, outweighed the limited economic and site-management benefits and the significant weight given to the appellant's personal circumstances, tipping the balance against the proposal.
Framework references: 80
Plan policies cited: Policy SS1, Policy DM34, Policy DM1, Policy SP17, Policy DM30, Policy DM40
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.