20 Broom Hill Road and Land to the Rear, Rochester, ME2 3LE

Planning appeal 3364803 at 20 Broom Hill Road and Land to the Rear, Rochester, ME2 3LE (Medway Council) was allowed on 18 September 2025 by Inspector Wilkinson F, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.

Demolition of existing buildings and construction of 26 flats set across 3 blocks of flats with associated access, refuse storage and parking

Authority: Medway Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Wilkinson F
Postcode: ME2 3LE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites engaged the presumption in favour of sustainable development, which was sufficiently weighty to outweigh the modest harm to character and appearance and the conflict with the development plan.

The modest harm to character and appearance and conflict with the development plan were outweighed by the substantial benefits of housing delivery (26 dwellings including affordable homes) in a sustainable location, the efficient use of previously developed land, and the economic benefits, applying the presumption in favour of sustainable development under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy H9Policy BNE1Policy S6Policy BNE35
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 125Paragraph 135Paragraph 58

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.

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The decision letter

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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.