Land known as Harlands, Highcross Road, Southfleet, Kent, DA13 9PH

the demolition of a range of existing buildings and the erection of a single-storey dwelling and garage

Authority: Dartford Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Pearce J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of development plan policy and the National Planning Policy Framework
the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, including the Westwood Area of Special Conservation
whether the site is a suitable location for housing having regard to development plan policy and accessibility to services and facilities
whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the setting of the Grade II listed building, Ivy House
the effect of the proposed development on highway safety
if it is inappropriate, whether the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, or any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would have a greater impact on openness than existing development, and the other considerations do not clearly outweigh this harm to justify very special circumstances.

Framework references: 11, 109, 154, 209

Plan policies cited: Policy M12, Policy S5, Policy M1, Policy M6, Policy M14, Policy M5

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

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