®Planning appeal decision
Balcony Farm, Haycross Lane, Woodchurch, Ashford, Kent, TN26 3TF
Planning appeal 3351385 at Balcony Farm, Haycross Lane, Woodchurch, Ashford, Kent, TN26 3TF (Ashford Borough Council) was dismissed on 21 March 2025 by Inspector Sylvester G, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the appeal site would be in a suitable location for housing, with particular regard to the Council's spatial strategy and proximity to services and facilities.
the demolition of agricultural buildings and the erection of 5 detached single storey dwellings with associated landscaping and biodiversity enhancements
- Authority
- Ashford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Sylvester G
- Postcode
- TN26 3TF
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site would be in a suitable location for housing, with particular regard to the Council's spatial strategy and proximity to services and facilities
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
- If there is any harm, whether this is outweighed by other considerations, particularly whether there is a fallback position for an alternative proposed development
What decided it
The significant harm to character and appearance caused by introducing a suburban residential enclave in a rural area, combined with the unsuitability of the location for housing due to isolation and lack of sustainable transport access, outweighed the modest benefits of housing delivery when assessed against the development plan and Framework policies taken as a whole.
The appeal proposal's adverse impacts of significant harm to character and appearance and conflict with the spatial strategy for housing growth significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of housing supply, economic benefits and biodiversity enhancement, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP2Policy HOU5Policy SP6Policy ENV3a
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 84Paragraph 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
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Dismissed30 September 202660117144-6 Ashford Road, Tenterden, TN30 6QU
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.