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Allowed20 March 20253351435

Land at Moat Road, Headcorn, Maidstone, TN27 9NT

Planning appeal 3351435 at Land at Moat Road, Headcorn, Maidstone, TN27 9NT (Maidstone Borough Council) was allowed on 20 March 2025 by Inspector Butcher H, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the local area having particular regard to landscaping, design and layout, and the special attention that should be paid to the desirability of preserving the setting of the Grade II listed building, The Moat, or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

Outline application (with all matters reserved except access) for the development of up to 115 no. dwellings (Use Class C3) with 40% affordable housing including demolition of existing buildings, new means of access into the site from Moat Road (not internal roads), short diversion to the public right of way (KH590), associated highway works, provision of public open space, provision of shelter to replace curtilage listed building, emergency /pedestrian access to Mill Bank, and associated infrastructure including surface water drainage (with related off site s278 highway works to Moat Road)

Authority
Maidstone Borough Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Butcher H
Postcode
TN27 9NT

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the local area having particular regard to landscaping, design and layout, and the special attention that should be paid to the desirability of preserving the setting of the Grade II listed building, The Moat, or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses
  • The effect of the development on highway safety, with particular regard to, cyclists using the primary access on Moat Road heading towards the A274; and future pedestrians and cyclists using the proposed emergency access to/from the site, via the northern boundary, onto Mill Bank/A274
  • Whether the development would provide acceptable flood safety measures

What decided it

The substantial and wide-ranging public benefits of the scheme, including housing delivery and heritage repair, outweighed the very minor residual heritage harm, and the proposal accorded with the up-to-date development plan and an acknowledged five-year housing land supply.

the substantial and wide-ranging public benefits, including heritage repair, housing delivery, affordable housing and economic benefits, outweighed the very minor residual harm to the setting of the Grade II listed Moat

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy LPRSA310Policy LPRSP14(B)Policy LPRINF1Policy LPRSP11(B)Policy LPRSP10(B)
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 57Paragraph 58

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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

  1. Planning permission granted10 June 20263347386
    Land at The Meadows, Lenham Road, Headcorn, TN27 9LG
  2. Dismissed31 March 20263376954
    Land East of Water Lane, Headcorn, Kent, TN27 9JP
  3. Allowed2 March 20263375644
    Plot 8, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN
  4. Allowed27 January 20263373625
    Plot 2 The Meadows, Lenham Road, Headcorn, Kent, TN27 9LG
  5. Allowed24 October 20253367625
    Merrymaids Farm, Couchman Green Lane, Staplehurst, Kent, TN12 0RR

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.