Thompson Hall, St Michaels Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3DN

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area bearing in mind the extent to which it would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Sittingbourne Conservation Area
• the effect of the proposal on the living conditions of future occupiers, with particular regard to privacy and natural light
• whether the proposal would provide satisfactory provision for the storage and collection of waste
• whether the proposal would adversely affect the integrity of the Swale Special Protection Area

What decided it

The less than substantial harm to the character and appearance of the Sittingbourne Conservation Area, combined with unacceptable privacy impacts on future occupants, outweighs the benefits of nine additional dwellings, particularly given the Framework's requirement to give great weight to the conservation of designated heritage assets.

The substantial weight given to housing delivery and brownfield land use was outweighed by the substantial negative weight of harm to the conservation area and failure to provide high-quality development and satisfactory amenity for future occupants, with heritage protection policies providing a clear reason for refusal under the tilted balance.