Copperfield House Rushmore Hill, Knockholt, SEVENOAKS, TN14 7NL

demolition and rebuilding of garage; erection of a lobby between garage and dwelling and erection of a part two storey and part single storey rear extension

Authority: Sevenoaks District Council
Appeal type: householder · Householder (HAS)
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Householder developments
Inspector: Dade E

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
The effects of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The existence of a realistic fallback position (Certificate of Lawful Development for single-storey extensions) that would cause greater harm to Green Belt openness than the appeal proposal amounts to very special circumstances justifying the inappropriate development.

Framework references: 137, 147, 148, 149, 54

Plan policies cited: Policy GB1

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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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.

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