®Planning appeal decision
Bridgewood Farm, Watery Lane, Westwell, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4JJ
the change of use of the land for the stationing of 3 mobile homes for Gypsy / Traveller occupation. Occupation ancillary to the existing site permitted under application 12/00923/AS
- Authority
- Ashford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Change of use
- Inspector
- Murray D
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The accord with the development strategy on the location of development
- The effect on the character and appearance of the area and the Kent Downs NL
- The effect on the Stodmarsh Nature Conservation Habitat
- The need and supply of gypsy/traveller sites and availability of alternative sites
- The personal circumstances of the appellant and best interests of children
What decided it
The significant, permanent visual harm to the Kent Downs National Landscape combined with the unresolved risk to the Stodmarsh Nature Conservation Habitat outweighed the substantial unmet need for gypsy/traveller sites.
The substantial unmet need for gypsy/traveller pitches and lack of alternative sites did not outweigh the significant harm to the Kent Downs NL and the unresolved risk to the Stodmarsh habitat, so the conflict with the development plan was not outweighed.
Framework references: 176
Plan policies cited: Policy HOU16, Policy ENV 3(b), Policy ENV3
Judgments cited: Lisa Smith
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.