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Dismissed23 October 20253365056

Cowstead Farm, Queenborough Road, Halfway, Kent, ME12 3RL

Planning appeal 3365056 at Cowstead Farm, Queenborough Road, Halfway, Kent, ME12 3RL (Swale Borough Council) was dismissed on 23 October 2025 by Inspector Dring G, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the appeal site is in a suitable location for new dwellings, having regard to the spatial strategy for the area and the accessibility of services and facilities by sustainable modes of transport.

demolition of the existing farmhouse and erection of 6no. dwellings with associated access, parking and landscaping works

Authority
Swale Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector
Dring G
Postcode
ME12 3RL

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether the appeal site is in a suitable location for new dwellings, having regard to the spatial strategy for the area and the accessibility of services and facilities by sustainable modes of transport
  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the immediate area
  • the effect of the proposal on the farmhouse as a non-designated heritage asset
  • the effect of the proposal on wider landscape character
  • the effect of the proposal on the Important Local Countryside Gap (ILCG) designation

What decided it

The significant harm to the character and appearance of the area, combined with the unsustainable location requiring reliance on private car travel, demonstrably outweighed the moderate benefits of housing delivery and economic contribution.

The moderate benefits of housing delivery, economic benefits during construction and occupation, and environmental enhancements were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the significant adverse impacts on character and appearance and the unsustainable location contrary to Framework policies on sustainable development and well-designed places.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy ST1Policy ST3Policy CP2Policy CP4Policy DM14Policy CP8Policy DM24Policy DM25Policy SP2Policy DM32
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 216Paragraph 232

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 Swale

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

  1. Allowed8 July 20263376221
    Land West Of Borden Lane, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8HR
  2. Allowed10 December 20253365131
    Land At Sandbanks Lane And Seasalter Road, Graveney, Kent , ME13 9DU
  3. Dismissed2 October 20253360939
    2 Parsonage Chase, Minster-on-Sea, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 3JL
  4. Dismissed29 July 20253357228
    Land at Honeysuckle Drive, Minster on Sea, Kent, ME12 3RE
  5. Dismissed24 July 20253359815
    Redcot, Bell Farm Lane, Minster On Sea, Kent, ME12 4JB

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.