Planning appeal decision
Wood Cottage, Uckfield Lane, Hever, Kent, TN8 7LR
Planning appeal 3371105 at Wood Cottage, Uckfield Lane, Hever, Kent, TN8 7LR (Sevenoaks District Council) was dismissed on 14 November 2025 by Inspector Knight A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
two storey rear extension, demolition of chimney and alterations to fenestration
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- householder · Householder (HAS)
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Householder developments
- Inspector
- Knight A
- Postcode
- TN8 7LR
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- The effect on the openness of the Green Belt
- Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal results in a disproportionate addition to the original building (88% increase in floor space) which breaches Policy GB1's 50% threshold and does not qualify for the exceptions in NPPF paragraph 154, constituting inappropriate development in the Green Belt that cannot be justified by very special circumstances.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GB1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan (2015)
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154
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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision


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