®Planning appeal decision
Land Adjoining the South Side of 129 - 131 Butchers Lane , Mereworth Kent, ME18 5QD
the erection of a one and a half storey detached dwelling with link attached garage, new vehicular access and associated works
- Authority
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough 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
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the Butchers Lane Mereworth Conservation Area
- If the proposal would be inappropriate development, whether or not the 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 necessary to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would harm openness and the character of a conservation area, and these harms are not clearly outweighed by other considerations, particularly as the tilted balance is not engaged due to the clear reasons for refusal provided by Green Belt and heritage protections.
The substantial weight given to Green Belt harm and great weight given to conservation area harm were not outweighed by the modest economic and social benefits of providing an additional dwelling and construction employment, and the limited contribution to housing supply shortfall.
Framework references: 11, 152, 153, 154, 195, 206, 208
Plan policies cited: Policy CP3, Policy CP24, Policy SQ1
Judgments cited: Wood v SSCLG and Gravesham BC [2015] EWCA Civ 195
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.