Land Opposite Grange Road at, Maidstone Road, Sevenoaks, Kent

Planning appeal 3353896 at Land Opposite Grange Road at, Maidstone Road, Sevenoaks, Kent (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council) was allowed on 2 April 2025 by Inspector Hanna P, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding area.

residential development alongside hard and soft landscaping including access, car parking, public open space, SuDS and associated infrastructure

Authority: Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Hanna P

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 proposal makes adequate provision for affordable housing

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a five year housing land supply and the scheme's compliance with the Golden Rules engaged the paragraph 11(d) tilted balance, which the identified harms did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh.

The moderately adverse effect on character and appearance and localised slight adverse landscape impact did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the substantial housing, affordable housing, economic and environmental benefits, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied despite conflict with the development plan as a whole

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy CP24Policy SQ1
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 58Paragraph 78Paragraph 155Paragraph 158

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

Dismissed8 June 20266004257
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Allowed22 January 20263366031
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Allowed5 December 20253373454
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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.