®Planning appeal decision
1 Parkgate Cottages Parkgate Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7PY
Planning appeal 3347490 at 1 Parkgate Cottages Parkgate Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7PY (Sevenoaks District Council) was dismissed on 22 January 2025 by Inspector Miles H, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework 2024 and any relevant development plan policies.
demolition of existing former industrial/agricultural buildings and erection of single storey four bedroom dwellinghouse
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Miles H
- Postcode
- BR6 7PY
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework 2024 and any relevant development plan policies
- The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area including with regard to the Kent Downs National Landscape
- Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The serious harm to the character and appearance of the nationally important Kent Downs National Landscape, combined with the inappropriate development status in the Green Belt, was not clearly outweighed by the moderate housing benefits, such that very special circumstances do not exist.
The moderate benefits of providing one new home and addressing housing land supply shortfall were outweighed by substantial weight given to Green Belt harm and serious harm to the nationally important landscape, with the strong reason for refusal relating to National Landscape policy displacing the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- EN5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 154Paragraph 7
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
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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.