®Planning appeal decision
White Horse Inn, Carriers Road, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3EX
Planning appeal 3344563 at White Horse Inn, Carriers Road, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3EX (Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) was dismissed on 3 January 2025 by Inspector Wright A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the vitality and viability of the Cranbrook primary shopping area, retail frontage and town centre.
the conversion of the ground floor of the White Horse Public House to provide two self-contained residential apartments (Use Class C3), with associated bin and bike store, and reconfiguration of the car park
- Authority
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Wright A
- Postcode
- TN17 3EX
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the vitality and viability of the Cranbrook primary shopping area, retail frontage and town centre
- whether the proposal would result in the unjustified loss of a community facility
- whether the proposal would result in the unjustified loss of an employment-generating use
- whether the proposed development would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupiers, with particular regard to privacy and outlook
What decided it
The significant harm to the vitality and viability of the town centre, combined with the unjustified loss of a community facility and employment use, and unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers, significantly and demonstrably outweighs the modest housing benefit.
The modest contribution to housing supply and efficient use of previously developed land was significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the harm to town centre vitality and viability, the unjustified loss of a community and employment facility, and unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CR3Policy CR11Policy BE6.2Policy HD4.2Policy ED9Policy ED11Core Policy 8Policy CS6Policy ED12Core Policy 7Policy BE6.1Policy ED2Policy EN1
- 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
More decisions in Tunbridge Wells
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed20 October 20266012604Manchester House The Heath, Horsmonden, TN12 8HT
- Dismissed21 September 202660052291 The Down Cottages, Lamberhurst Down, Lamberhurst, TN3 8EX
- Dismissed21 September 202660052251 The Down Cottages, Lamberhurst Down, Lamberhurst, TN3 8EX
- Allowed3 September 20266012775Flat 3, 49 Madeira Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5SY
- Dismissed28 August 202660062602 Ashfield Cottages, Horns Hill, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, TN18 4XD
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.