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Allowed26 February 20253352986

Woodford, Old Lane, Ightham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 9AH

Planning appeal 3352986 at Woodford, Old Lane, Ightham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 9AH (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council) was allowed on 26 February 2025 by Inspector Dade E, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.

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
Postcode
TN15 9AH

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

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy CP3Policy CP20Policy SQ8
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 142Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 232Paragraph 11Paragraph 84Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 129Paragraph 135Paragraph 139Paragraph 55
Judgments
Fawcett Properties Ltd v Buckingham CC [1961] AC 636; Shortt v SSCLG [2015] EWCA Civ 1192

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 Tonbridge and Malling

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

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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.