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Allowed8 December 20253358518

Court Lodge Farm, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3QW

Planning appeal 3358518 at Court Lodge Farm, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3QW (Ashford Borough Council) was allowed on 8 December 2025 by Inspector Rollings G, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on flood risk and drainage.

an outline planning application with all matters reserved for future consideration (aside from new means of vehicular accesses onto Pound Lane (2.no.), Long Length and Magpie Hall Road which are for approval now) for the construction of up to 1000 new homes, a local centre comprising retail uses (up to 450 sqm) and a primary school (2.4ha); flexible office space (up to 400 sqm) and a combined community hall and site management suite (up to 650 sqm); new pedestrian and cycle routes, laying out of green infrastructure, including allotment gardens and areas of ecological habitats; drainage infrastructure, earthworks and ancillary infrastructure

Authority
Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Rollings G
Postcode
TN23 3QW

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The effect of the proposed development on flood risk and drainage
  • The effect of the proposed development on biodiversity, including protected species
  • The effect of the proposed development on heritage assets, with particular regard to archaeology
  • The effect of the proposed development on the supply of affordable housing

What decided it

The absence of a five-year housing land supply and consequent application of the paragraph 11(d) tilted balance, under which the substantial benefits of housing and affordable housing delivery were not significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the limited identified harms.

The very substantial benefits of market and affordable housing delivery, together with moderate benefits from planning obligation provisions, outweighed the limited landscape harm and the harm from loss of two non-designated heritage assets, such that adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits against either the Framework or the development plan as a whole.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy SP1Policy S3Policy S4Policy S5Policy ENV1Policy ENV5Policy ENV6Policy ENV7Policy ENV8Policy ENV9Policy ENV12Policy ENV13Policy ENV15Policy HOU1Policy HOU6Policy HOU14Policy HOU18Policy IMP1Policy IMP2Policy IMP4Policy COM1Policy COM2Policy COM3Policy TRA1Policy TRA4Policy TRA5Policy TRA6Policy TRA7Policy TRA8Policy SP6Policy EMP6
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 58Paragraph 208Paragraph 210Paragraph 216Paragraph 217Paragraph 218

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Ashford Borough Council

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

  1. Dismissed8 October 20266012673
    Land 150metres East by Southeast of Barkleys Farm, Burnthouse Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QQ
  2. Dismissed15 July 20266006719
    Barn 2, Golden Wood Farm, Brisley Lane, Ruckinge, TN26 2PW
  3. Allowed22 June 20266003600
    Tatton Barn, Hamstreet Road, Hamstreet, Ashford, TN26 2EW
  4. Allowed22 April 20263376208
    Mainey Farm, Pluckley Road , Maltmans Hill, Smarden, Kent, TN27 8RD
  5. Allowed9 April 20263368725
    Land Adjacent to the Bull Inn, Bethersden, Ashford, TN26 3LB

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.