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Dismissed17 April 20243331999

Grove Farm, The Grove, West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 6JJ

Planning appeal 3331999 at Grove Farm, The Grove, West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 6JJ (Sevenoaks District Council) was dismissed on 17 April 2024 by Inspector Wright A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.

an outline application for the demolition/clearance of existing buildings and structures and the erection of up to three single-storey dwellings with all matters reserved except access

Authority
Sevenoaks District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Wright A
Postcode
TN15 6JJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
  • the effect of the proposal on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
  • whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and impact on its purposes is not clearly outweighed by the modest housing benefit and limited self-build and highway benefits, so very special circumstances do not exist.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and impact on its purposes outweighs the modest benefit of three additional homes and limited benefits of self-build provision and a vehicular turning area, resulting in dismissal despite the Council's inability to demonstrate five-year housing land supply.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy LO1Policy LO8
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 154Paragraph 11
Judgments
R (on the application of Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) and others) (Respondents) v North Yorkshire County Council (Appellant) [2020] UKSC 3; Skerrits of Nottingham Ltd v SSETR & Harrow LBC (No. 2) [2002] EWCA Civ 5569; Barvis v SSE [1971] 22 P&CR 710; R v Swansea CC ex parte Elitestone [1993] JPL 1019; R (oao Hall Hunter Partnership) v FSS [2006] EWHC 3482 (Admin); R (Save Woolley Valley Action Group Ltd) v Bath and North East Somerset Council [2012] EWHC 2161 (Admin)

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Sevenoaks

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024

  1. Allowed1 October 20266004899
    Lower Fawke Farm, Bitchet Green Road, Fawke Common, Underriver, TN15 0JX
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  5. Allowed22 September 20266012162
    Oakwood House, School Lane, West Kingsdown, TN15 6AW

The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.