®Planning appeal decision
3 Blue House Cottages, Charlton Lane, East Sutton, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 3DL
Planning appeal 3355252 at 3 Blue House Cottages, Charlton Lane, East Sutton, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 3DL (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 6 May 2025 by Inspector Perrins N, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the location of the development would be in a suitable location having regard to the policies of the development plan.
outline planning application for the demolition of outbuildings and erection of a single storey 3 bed dwelling with all matters reserved
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Perrins N
- Postcode
- ME17 3DL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the location of the development would be in a suitable location having regard to the policies of the development plan
- the effect of the proposal on the rural character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The proposal failed to demonstrate that exceptional circumstances existed to justify residential development in the countryside, as the site was not shown to have poor environmental value, and the incongruous plot size and position would result in significant harm to rural character and appearance.
No balancing exercise was undertaken as the proposal was found to conflict with the development plan and no material considerations were advanced that would outweigh this conflict.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LPRHOU1Policy LPRSP9Policy LPRSP15Policy LPRQD4
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 135Paragraph 187Paragraph 212Paragraph 14
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.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed29 October 2026601053621 Tasker Close, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME15 8NZ
- Allowed27 October 20266015190Little Southernden, Southernden Road, Headcorn, TN27 9LL
- Allowed27 October 20266011721Loxley House, Gravelly Bottom Road, Kingswood, Maidstone, ME17 3NT
- Allowed27 October 20266011076Little Southernden, Southernden Road, Headcorn, TN27 9LL
- Allowed26 October 20266010539Land Rear Of 58 Church Street, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone, ME17 4HN
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.