Land to East of Calland and West of, Ramstone Close , Smeeth, TN25 6QN

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the development on highway safety
• the effect on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers in terms of noise and disturbance
• whether a contribution to affordable housing is necessary and if so whether there is a suitable mechanism in place to secure that
• the effect on the character and appearance of the area
• the effect on biodiversity

What decided it

The failure of the proposed access to provide sufficient width for safe passage of both vehicles and pedestrians, combined with the resulting harm to the living conditions of neighbouring residents and the failure to secure policy-compliant affordable housing, meant the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits even under the tilted balance.

The benefits of nine houses (modest given the small scale and modest housing land supply shortfall) and self-build provision were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the adverse impacts on highway safety, neighbouring amenity, and the failure to secure affordable housing.