®Planning appeal decision
Priesthood, Priestwood Road, Meopham, GRAVESEND, DA13 0DA
- Authority
- Gravesham Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Chukwujekwu I
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of the Framework and development plan policy
- the effect of the development on openness of the Green Belt
- whether or not the appeal site is an appropriate location for housing
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- the effect of the development on ecology
- if the development is inappropriate, is the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, clearly outweighed by other considerations and does this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development
What decided it
The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would cause substantial harm to openness and character, and the very limited benefits do not constitute the very special circumstances necessary to justify approval.
The benefits of providing a single dwelling and tidying up a derelict building do not outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, the loss of openness, harm to character and appearance, and potential harm to protected species; the Green Belt exception applies and the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not override the protection afforded to the Green Belt.
Framework references: 11, 84, 109, 142, 143, 154, 155
Plan policies cited: Policy C11 of the Gravesham Local Plan (1994), Policy CS01 of the Gravesham Core Strategy (2014), Policy CS02 of the Gravesham Core Strategy (2014), Policy CS12 of the Gravesham Core Strategy (2014), Policy CS19 of the Gravesham Core Strategy (2014)
Judgments cited: Hibbitt and another v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) and Rushcliffe Borough Council (2) [2016] EWHC 2853 (Admin)
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.