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Dismissed2 February 20263372645

Land off Riddles Road, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8HP

Planning appeal 3372645 at Land off Riddles Road, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8HP (Swale Borough Council) was dismissed on 2 February 2026 by Inspector Shearing C, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitably located for new housing, having regard to the Council's Settlement Strategy and effects on the open countryside.

‘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
Postcode
ME9 8HP

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.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy ST1Policy ST3Policy DM24Policy CP4DM14Policy DM25Policy DM8Policy CP3Policy DM31CP7DM28CP5CP6DM17Policy ST2
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 58Paragraph 66Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 129Paragraph 135

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 Swale

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

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  5. Dismissed14 July 20266002253
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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.

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.