Land East of Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, TN23 3EW

up to 15 dwellings, a replacement medical centre and pharmacy, together with all necessary infrastructure

Authority: Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Miles H

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposed development on the Stodmarsh Lakes Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site, Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a five year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance, and the significant benefits of housing, affordable housing and the medical centre outweighed the moderate harm to character and appearance.

The significant benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing, the medical centre and open space/biodiversity enhancements outweighed the moderate harm to character and appearance, so the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied and the appeal was allowed.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy ENV1, Policy HOU5, Policy SP1, Policy SP2, Policy S4, Policy SP6, Policy EMP1, Policy SP7, Policy HOU1, Policy HOU14, Policy TRA3a, Policy TRA6

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.