®Planning appeal decision
Rose Cottage Farm, Church Road, Longfield, Kent, DA3 8DT
the demolition of existing dwelling, removal of various structures/hardstanding, and erection of a replacement dwelling
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Cryan M
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development within the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies, and its effects on the openness of the Green Belt
- If the development is inappropriate, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The realistic fallback position of permitted development rights and the 2016 lawful development certificate, which would likely cause greater harm to openness and character than the proposed replacement dwelling, clearly outweighed the harm by inappropriateness and established very special circumstances.
The harm by reason of inappropriateness to the Green Belt, to which substantial weight must be given, was clearly outweighed by the fallback position (considerable weight), the removal of outbuildings (limited weight), and improved energy efficiency (moderate weight), establishing very special circumstances that justify the development.
Framework references: 11, 54, 152, 153, 154
Plan policies cited: Policy GB4 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan, Policy EN1 of the ADMP, Policy T3 of the ADMP, Policy T2 of the ADMP, Policy SP11 of the 2011 Sevenoaks Core Strategy
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.