®Planning appeal decision
Building 3, Hales Court, Paradise Farm, Lower Hartlip Road, Hartlip, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7SU
Planning appeal 3349459 at Building 3, Hales Court, Paradise Farm, Lower Hartlip Road, Hartlip, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7SU (Swale Borough Council) was dismissed on 29 May 2025 by Inspector Pattison B, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the site is a suitable location for the proposal having regard to local and national planning policy, and the accessibility of the site to services, employment opportunities and facilities.
Conversion of 2no. agricultural buildings to create 1no. three bedroom dwelling, erection of infill extension, alterations to fenestration including associated access, parking and landscaping
- Authority
- Swale Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Pattison B
- Postcode
- ME9 7SU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the site is a suitable location for the proposal having regard to local and national planning policy, and the accessibility of the site to services, employment opportunities and facilities
What decided it
The site's location outside any defined development boundary in open countryside, combined with poor accessibility to services and facilities requiring reliance on private vehicles, means it is not a suitable location for residential development under the Local Plan's settlement strategy and the Framework's sustainability objectives, and this harm significantly and demonstrably outweighs the limited benefits of housing delivery.
The adverse impacts of locating housing in an unsustainable rural location, contrary to the Framework's aim of enhancing or maintaining the vitality of rural communities, significantly and demonstrably outweigh the limited benefits of one dwelling, temporary and ongoing economic benefits, and biodiversity enhancements, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy ST1Policy ST3Policy CP2Policy CP3Policy DM3Policy DM14
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 83Paragraph 84
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.