Planning appeal decision
Abbotscliff House, New Dover Road, Capel Le Ferne, CT18 7HZ
Planning appeal 3317631 at Abbotscliff House, New Dover Road, Capel Le Ferne, CT18 7HZ (Dover District Council) was dismissed on 23 February 2024 by Inspector Wallace J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the site is a suitable location for the development with regard to the spatial strategy for locating development, reducing reliance on the private car, and the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the Kent Downs National Landscape and Heritage Coast.
Continued use of land for the stationing of a caravan for use as short-stay holiday let, retention of adjacent deck, single storey building (shower/wc), together with associated parking, drainage, and landscaping
- Authority
- Dover District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- leisure-sport · Change of use
- Inspector
- Wallace J
- Postcode
- CT18 7HZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site is a suitable location for the development with regard to the spatial strategy for locating development, reducing reliance on the private car, and the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the Kent Downs National Landscape and Heritage Coast
- whether the site is a suitable location for the development with regard to coastal change
What decided it
The harmful effect on the character and appearance of the Kent Downs National Landscape and Heritage Coast, combined with conflict with the spatial strategy for locating development, means the proposal does not benefit from the presumption in favour of sustainable development under paragraph 11d)i of the Framework.
The policies most relevant to the appeal are out of date, but the harm to the National Landscape and Heritage Coast means there are Framework policies providing a clear reason for refusal, so the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply; the limited economic benefits do not outweigh the landscape harm.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Core Strategy Policy CP1Core Strategy Policy DM1Core Strategy Policy DM3Core Strategy Policy DM15Core Strategy Policy DM16Local Plan Saved Policy CO5Draft Local Plan Policy PM1Draft Local Plan Policy NE2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 182Paragraph 184Paragraph 109Paragraph 135Paragraph 180Paragraph 182Paragraph 184Paragraph 48Paragraph 178Paragraph 11
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 Dover District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
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- Dismissed4 October 20213272227Greenwood Farm North, Alkham, Dover, CT15 7EE
- Dismissed10 September 20213254613Blue Bird Tea Rooms, 79 Granville Road, St Margarets Bay, Kent, CT15 6DT
- Dismissed27 October 2026601069013 Hazling Dane, Shepherdswell, CT15 7LS
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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