®Planning appeal decision
51 & 53 The Grove, Biggin Hill, Westerham, TN16 3TA
Planning appeal 3344198 at 51 & 53 The Grove, Biggin Hill, Westerham, TN16 3TA (London Borough of Bromley) was dismissed on 21 March 2025 by Inspector Cross D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the protected species of slow worms.
revised application for demolition of existing dwellings & outbuildings and erection of 8 x three storey, 4-bedroom family homes with associated landscaping, amenity areas, car parking and refuse storage facilities
- Authority
- London Borough of Bromley
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Cross D
- Postcode
- TN16 3TA
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the protected species of slow worms
What decided it
The failure to demonstrate that the proposal would not have a harmful impact on slow worms, a protected species, which carries significant weight against the appeal and significantly and demonstrably outweighs the moderate benefits of the proposal.
The moderate benefits of housing supply and mix are significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the significant harm to protected species (slow worms) when assessed against the policies of the Framework taken as a whole under the tilted balance.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 70Policy 72
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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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.