®Planning appeal decision
Land at Scarlet Meadow, Matts Hill Road, Rainham, Gillingham Kent, ME9 7XA
‘Retention of dayroom.’ Formal
- Authority
- Medway Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- King T
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The main issue for both appeals A and B is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, with particular regard to its location within the North Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, now the North Kent Downs National Landscape (NKDNL), and locally designated valued landscapes, namely the North Downs Special Landscape Area (NDSLA), an identified 'Strategic Gap' and also the Matts Hill Farmland Character Area (MHFCA).
What decided it
Whether the height of the day-room building would be reduced (via the Unilateral Undertaking) so as to overcome the harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding protected landscape.
For Appeal A the building's excessive height caused harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding area outweighing any other considerations, leading to dismissal; for Appeal B the UU-secured reduction in ridge height was sufficient to make the development acceptable, tipping the balance in favour of allowing the appeal.
Framework references: 187, 189
Plan policies cited: BNE1, BNE25, BNE31, BNE32, BNE33
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.