®Planning appeal decision
Land Adjacent The Glen , Headcorn Road , Grafty Green, Kent, ME17 2AT
Planning appeal 3368449 at Land Adjacent The Glen , Headcorn Road , Grafty Green, Kent, ME17 2AT (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 7 October 2025 by Inspector Smith D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed dwelling would be in a suitable location having regard to the proximity to services and facilities and the likely use of sustainable transport modes.
erection of a self-build single storey 4 bedroom bungalow with associated access and parking
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Smith D
- Postcode
- ME17 2AT
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed dwelling would be in a suitable location having regard to the proximity to services and facilities and the likely use of sustainable transport modes
- The effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
- The effect on protected species
- The effect on highway safety with particular reference to visibility splays
What decided it
The proposal's location outside the village nucleus with poor access to services and facilities, combined with unresolved protected species concerns and unacceptable highway safety impacts, means the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits and the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply.
The benefits of providing an additional dwelling, a self-build unit and local support were outweighed by the unsustainable location, potential harm to protected species and highway safety impacts; the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LPRSS1Policy LPRSP8Policy LPRSP9Policy LPRSP15Policy LPRSP14Policy LPRQD4Policy LPRHOU9
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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 appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Dismissed22 June 20266004150Land at Vicarage Road, Yalding, ME18 6DS
- Allowed18 June 202660048383 Manor Close, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4BY
- Dismissed11 December 20253373695Land at Glenrafon, Marley Road, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1AU
- Allowed9 December 20243338498East Went , Chartway Street, Sutton Valence, Maidstone, ME17 3JA
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.