Land to the south of Cider Works , Bell Lane, Smarden , Kent, TN27 8FS

erection of earth sheltered autonomous dwelling with adjoining pond and woodland

Authority: Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Dyer I

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding area
Whether the site is a suitable location for a dwelling, having regard to local policies for housing
The effect of the proposal on local biodiversity

What decided it

The proposal's failure to demonstrate exceptional design quality or innovative character, combined with significant harm to landscape character and unresolved biodiversity impacts, outweighs the modest housing supply benefit in the planning balance.

The benefits of housing delivery and support for the rural economy were outweighed by the significant harm to character and appearance, conflict with the spatial strategy, unresolved biodiversity impacts, and the importance of good design and sustainable development in the plan-led system.

Framework references: 11, 99

Plan policies cited: Policy ENV3a, Policy HOU5, Policy ENV1

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.