®Planning appeal decision
Plot 1, West of Water Lane, Harrietsham, Kent, ME17 1DH
without planning permission, the material change of use of land to a mixed use of keeping of horses and residential for Gypsies and Travellers including the stationing of caravans and associated operational works including the laying of hard surfacing, installation of a septic tank, erection of close boarded timber fencing and the erection of three stable buildings, two which are used as utility buildings
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Change of use
- Inspector
- Hartley D
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the loss of ancient woodland and protected trees
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- Whether the site is accessible to local services by means of sustainable modes of transport
- If planning harm is identified, whether any such harm is outweighed by other considerations sufficient to justify granting planning permission
What decided it
The loss of ancient woodland as an irreplaceable habitat without wholly exceptional reasons and without a suitable compensation strategy, combined with significant harm to character and appearance and failure to meet accessibility requirements, outweighed the material considerations in favour of the development.
Framework references: 11, 28, 187, 193
Plan policies cited: LPRHOU8, LPRHOU8(1)(b), LPRHOU8(1)(c), LPRHOU8(1)(f), LPRSP9, LPRSP14(A), LPRSP15
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.