Barn to the east of Golford Road, Golford Road, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3NX

‘Conversion, change of use and extension of existing agricultural barn into new dwelling with change of use of the land to form associated garden land, parking, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements.’

Authority: Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Barnes S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to the landscape and scenic beauty of the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL)
the effect on ecological interests, with particular regard to bats

What decided it

The harm to the character and appearance of the High Weald National Landscape through the introduction of formal access tracks, parking areas and domestic boundary treatments, to which considerable importance and great weight must be given, outweighs the moderate benefits of providing one additional dwelling and economic benefits.

Framework references: 11, 189

Plan policies cited: Policy STR 1, Policy STR 8, Policy EN 1, Policy EN 18, Policy EN 19, Policy ED 5, Policy LN3.4, Policy LN3.5, Policy LN3.1

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.