®Planning appeal decision
Kooland, Rochester Road, Burham, Aylesford, Kent, ME1 3SN
Planning appeal 3349987 at Kooland, Rochester Road, Burham, Aylesford, Kent, ME1 3SN (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 24 June 2025 by Inspector Sylvester G, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the landscape and scenic beauty of the Kent Downs National Landscape.
the change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for one Gypsy family with two caravans, including no more than one static caravan/mobile home together with laying of hardstanding and erection of ancillary amenity building
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Sylvester G
- Postcode
- ME1 3SN
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the landscape and scenic beauty of the Kent Downs National Landscape
- Whether the appeal proposal is intentional unauthorised development
What decided it
The magnitude of harm to the Kent Downs National Landscape as a protected landscape, which would be significantly reduced by limiting the permission to a temporary 3-year period, thereby allowing the benefits of meeting unmet gypsy and traveller need and protecting the family's best interests to outweigh the temporary harms.
The significantly harmful impact on the landscape and scenic beauty of the KDNL (great weight against) was outweighed by the unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches, the personal circumstances of the appellant and his family including the best interests of the child, the lack of alternative sites, and modest biodiversity gains (high-order weight in favour), but only when the permission was limited to a temporary 3-year period, which reduced the harm to a temporary and reversible effect.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- CS Policy CP1CS Policy CP7CS Policy CP20CS Policy CP24DPD Policy SQ1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 189Paragraph 135Paragraph 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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Tonbridge and Malling
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Notice varied and upheld10 April 202633413804 Ruby Walk, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JT
- Allowed27 June 20253362362Dairy Farm Common Road, Hadlow, Tonbridge, TN11 0JE
- Notice varied and upheld12 June 20253306028155 Pizien Well Road, Wateringbury, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5HX
- Notice varied and upheld12 June 20253304085157 Pizien Well Road, Wateringbury, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5HX
- Split Decision23 September 20243291790The Caravan Site, Land Adjacent to Maidstone Road, Hadlow, TN11 0JD
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.