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Planning permission granted20 May 20253340982

Plot A, Three Sons, Hampstead Lane, Nettlestead, ME18 5HN

Planning appeal 3340982 at Plot A, Three Sons, Hampstead Lane, Nettlestead, ME18 5HN (Maidstone Borough Council) was allowed on 20 May 2025 by Inspector Shields T, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the use of the site as a residential caravan site would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

a breach of Condition 2 of planning permission Ref: APP/U2235/C/15/3138039, granted on appeal, in respect of the matters stated in an enforcement notice (Ref: ENF/500852) issued on 2 October 2015

Authority
Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Hearing
Development
caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
Inspector
Shields T
Postcode
ME18 5HN

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the use of the site as a residential caravan site would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
  • The effect on openness of the Green Belt
  • The effect on the character and appearance of the area
  • Flood risk
  • If inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether any harm to the Green Belt, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development

What decided it

The harm to the Green Belt and from flood risk would be sufficiently reduced by granting only a temporary (4-year) permission, allowing the unmet pitch need and personal circumstances to clearly outweigh that reduced harm.

The unmet pitch need, lack of alternative sites and the family's personal circumstances did not clearly outweigh Green Belt and flood risk harm sufficient for a permanent permission, but did clearly outweigh that harm once reduced by a 4-year temporary time limit, so very special circumstances were found to justify only a temporary permission

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy LPRSP9Policy LPRHOU8Policy LPRQD4
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 155Paragraph 173Paragraph 174Paragraph 181

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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

  1. Quashed On Legal Grounds28 September 20263378504
    Pear View, Symonds Lane, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6HA
  2. Notice upheld17 July 20263377356
    Stephens Bridge Field, Water Lane, Headcorn, Ashford, Kent, TN27 9JP
  3. Planning permission granted22 June 20263377362
    Lenwood, Polhill Lane, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1LG
  4. Planning permission granted10 June 20263347386
    Land at The Meadows, Lenham Road, Headcorn, TN27 9LG
  5. Notice varied and upheld24 April 20263364740
    5 Bower Place, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8BG

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.