®Planning appeal decision
Chimmens Solar Farm, Land at Mussenden Lane, Horton Kirby, Kent , DA3 8NX
Construction and operation of a solar farm with all associated works, equipment, necessary infrastructure and biodiversity net gains. New access track
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Woolcock J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The application of Green Belt policy.
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, including cumulative impact.
- The effect on heritage assets.
- The effect on agricultural land and food production.
- The effect on biodiversity.
- Renewable energy considerations.
- Local and national planning policy and whether the benefits of the proposal would outweigh any harm.
What decided it
The substantial weight given to the national need for renewable energy generation and associated climate change benefits outweighed the identified landscape, heritage and agricultural harms.
The harm to landscape character, heritage assets and agricultural land was outweighed by the substantial benefits of renewable energy generation together with the moderate benefit of biodiversity net gain and some economic benefit.
Framework references: 11, 110, 115, 155, 156, 157, 160, 168, 187, 198, 212, 215, 216
Plan policies cited: CS Policy LO8, CS Policy SP1, CS Policy SP2, CS Policy SP11, ADMP Policy G1, ADMP Policy EN1, ADMP Policy EN2, ADMP Policy EN4, ADMP Policy EN5, ADMP Policy EN7, ADMP Policy T1
Judgments cited: Ross v SSHCLG [2025] EWHC 1183 (Admin)
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.