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Allowed9 April 20263368725

Land Adjacent to the Bull Inn, Bethersden, Ashford, TN26 3LB

Planning appeal 3368725 at Land Adjacent to the Bull Inn, Bethersden, Ashford, TN26 3LB (Ashford Borough Council) was allowed on 9 April 2026 by Inspector Longmuir J, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the local landscape and the setting of Bethersden.

outline planning permission (with all matters reserved except 'means of access') for the erection of up to 32 dwellings including access from Bull Lane, parking, landscaping, open space and associated infrastructure and earthworks

Authority
Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Hearing
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Longmuir J
Postcode
TN26 3LB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the local landscape and the setting of Bethersden
  • the effect of the proposal on the settings of designated Grade II listed buildings: The Bull Inn, The Stables of the Bull Inn, Bridge Farmhouse and Weatherboarded Barn to South West of Bridge Farmhouse

What decided it

The considerable housing land supply shortfall triggering the paragraph 11(d) tilted balance meant the substantial housing and other benefits outweighed the limited landscape harm and low-level less-than-substantial heritage harm.

The substantial planning benefits (housing delivery against a 3.27 year supply, 40% affordable housing, self-build plots, biodiversity net gain) outweighed the limited landscape/character harm and the low-level less-than-substantial heritage harm, such that adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under the paragraph 11(d) balance

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
HOU5ENV3aENV4ENV13SP6SP1COM1COM2IMP1HOU6HOU14
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 7Paragraph 8Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 58Paragraph 61Paragraph 71Paragraph 98Paragraph 101Paragraph 110Paragraph 212Paragraph 213Paragraph 215
Judgments
Catesby Estates Ltd v Steer [2018] EWCA Civ 1697

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 Ashford Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

  1. Dismissed29 October 20266007592
    Homestall Farm, Ashford Road, High Halden, TN26 3BS
  2. Dismissed8 October 20266012673
    Land 150metres East by Southeast of Barkleys Farm, Burnthouse Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QQ
  3. Dismissed15 July 20266006719
    Barn 2, Golden Wood Farm, Brisley Lane, Ruckinge, TN26 2PW
  4. Allowed22 June 20266003600
    Tatton Barn, Hamstreet Road, Hamstreet, Ashford, TN26 2EW
  5. Allowed22 April 20263376208
    Mainey Farm, Pluckley Road , Maltmans Hill, Smarden, Kent, TN27 8RD

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.