®Planning appeal decision
Land at Stoney Wood, Wrotham Road, South Street, Meopham, Kent, DA13 0QG
Planning appeal 3371111 at Land at Stoney Wood, Wrotham Road, South Street, Meopham, Kent, DA13 0QG (Gravesham Borough Council) was dismissed on 17 December 2025 by Inspector Reid L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the requirements of BNG are relevant to the proposed development and, if so, whether such requirements are met.
change of use of land from agricultural to C3 dwellinghouse, proposal to convert the existing agricultural barn into a single self build dwelling with associated hard and soft landscaping
- Authority
- Gravesham Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Reid L
- Postcode
- DA13 0QG
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the requirements of BNG are relevant to the proposed development and, if so, whether such requirements are met
- The effect of the proposed development on the rural character of the area, having regard to the Meopham Downs Landscape Character Area
- Whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- Whether the location of the proposed development is suitable having regard to local spatial policy
What decided it
The failure to comply with the statutory provisions for Biodiversity Net Gain, combined with the adverse effect on rural character and the Meopham Downs Landscape Character Area, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the limited benefits of delivering one additional dwelling.
The limited benefits of one additional dwelling and associated social and economic benefits were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the adverse impacts on rural character, limited harm to the Meopham Downs Landscape Character Area, and failure to comply with statutory BNG provisions, even taking into account the Council's housing land supply shortfall.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS01Policy CS02Policy CS12Policy CS19Design for Gravesham Design Code Supplementary Planning Document 2024
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 84Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 155
- Judgments
- Braintree District Council v SSCLG, Greyread Ltd & Granville Developments Ltd [2017] EWHC 2743 (Admin); [2018] EWCA Civ 610
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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What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Gravesham
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Allowed15 October 20266007106Blackthorn Farm, Wrotham Road, Culverstone Green, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0QW
- Dismissed1 September 202660056037 Hornfield Cottages, David Street, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0BU
- Dismissed10 June 20266003544Land South of White Post Lane, Cobham, Gravesend, DA13 9AX
- Dismissed20 March 202633670141 Codington Gardens, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 5DB
- Planning permission granted19 March 20263349903Land North of Brecon Heron Hill Lane, Culverstone, Meopham, DA13 0DT
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.