®Planning appeal decision
Merrymaids Farm, Couchman Green Lane, Staplehurst, TONBRIDGE, TN12 0RR
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- agricultural · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- James A
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the disputed condition is necessary and reasonable, having regard to local and national planning policies which seek to restrict housing development in the countryside
What decided it
The absence of a thorough marketing exercise (including marketing with the adjacent agricultural land at an appropriate price and more targeted outreach to the farming community) meant the Inspector was not convinced the dwelling was no longer required for an agricultural or forestry worker.
The limited benefit of bringing a family-sized dwelling onto the open market did not outweigh the conflict with the development plan's rural housing restriction policies, so the appeal was dismissed
Framework references: 57
Plan policies cited: Policy LPRCD3, Policy LPRSS1, Policy LPRSP9, Policy H34
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.