®Planning appeal decision
Gatehouse Nursery, Coldharbour Lane, Hildenborough, Kent, TN11 9LE
the clearance of existing nursery buildings and polytunnels and erection of four detached dwellings (phased for self-build delivery)
- Authority
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Grierson E
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the revised National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies
- would the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm, be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area (appeal A only)
- the effect of the proposed development on biodiversity (appeal A only)
What decided it
The harm to the Green Belt through loss of visual openness and inappropriateness of the development is not clearly outweighed by other considerations, and very special circumstances do not exist to justify the development.
The modest benefits of housing delivery, self-build provision, and economic benefits do not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt identified through loss of visual openness and inappropriateness of development.
Framework references: 11, 70, 152, 153, 154
Plan policies cited: Policy CP3, Policy CP24, Policy SQ1, Policy NE3
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.