®Planning appeal decision
Land off Riddles Road, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8HP
‘Erection of 38 no. residential dwellings, together with associated two access points, open space, landscaping, drainage, and infrastructure works. ’
- Authority
- Swale Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Shearing C
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitably located for new housing, having regard to the Council's Settlement Strategy and effects on the open countryside
- Effects on the character and appearance of the area
- Effects on the separation of settlements
- The acceptability of the proposed affordable housing
- Effects on protected species
What decided it
The very substantial and long-lasting harm to the Important Local Countryside Gap and the near coalescence of Sittingbourne and Borden significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of the scheme.
The adverse impacts, particularly the very substantial harm to the Important Local Countryside Gap together with significant harm to character and appearance and conflict with the Settlement Strategy, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits including housing delivery, affordable housing, open space and economic benefits, so the proposal did not benefit from the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
Framework references: 11, 58, 66, 110, 115, 129, 135
Plan policies cited: Policy ST1, Policy ST3, Policy DM24, Policy CP4, DM14, Policy DM25, Policy DM8, Policy CP3, Policy DM31, CP7, DM28, CP5, CP6, DM17, Policy ST2
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.