®Planning appeal decision
Woodford, Old Lane, Ightham, SEVENOAKS, Kent, TN15 9AH
change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 5 gypsy/traveller households, including the stationing of 8 caravans for residential purposes of which no more than 5 shall be static caravans/mobile homes, together with extension of existing hardstanding
- Authority
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Dade E
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- The effect of the proposal on highway safety
- Whether other material considerations, including the need for and supply of pitches, outweighs any harm identified such as to justify the development
What decided it
The significant weight given to the acute shortfall in gypsy and traveller pitch supply and the best interests of the resident children outweighed the limited harm identified to highway safety.
the small adverse impact on highway safety was outweighed by other material considerations, including the significant weight afforded to the shortfall in pitch supply and the best interests of the children, so the presumption in favour of sustainable development pointed towards granting permission
Framework references: 142, 154, 155, 232, 11, 84, 110, 115, 129, 135, 139, 55
Plan policies cited: Policy CP3, Policy CP20, Policy SQ8
Judgments cited: Fawcett Properties Ltd v Buckingham CC [1961] AC 636; Shortt v SSCLG [2015] EWCA Civ 1192
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.