®Planning appeal decision
Land to the Rear of the Taj of Kent, Marden, Kent, TN12 9HS
Planning appeal 3375683 at Land to the Rear of the Taj of Kent, Marden, Kent, TN12 9HS (Maidstone Borough Council) was dismissed on 31 March 2026 by Inspector Wright A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Marden Conservation Area and the significance of the 1 and 2 Church Green Cottages grade II listed building.
‘proposed residential development of 4no. dwellings on land r/o Taj of Kent’
- Authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Wright A
- Postcode
- TN12 9HS
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Marden Conservation Area and the significance of the 1 and 2 Church Green Cottages grade II listed building
- whether the proposal would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupiers, with particular regard to vibration
What decided it
The less than substantial harm to the conservation area and listed building setting, to which great weight must be given, was not outweighed by the public benefits of housing delivery, and the failure to demonstrate acceptable living conditions regarding vibration from the railway line.
The public benefits of four dwellings on an underutilised site and economic contribution did not outweigh the great weight to be given to less than substantial harm to the conservation area and listed building setting; the Framework's designated heritage asset policies provided a strong reason to refuse despite the shortfall in housing land supply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LPRENV1Policy LPRSP6Policy LPRSP14(B)Policy LPRSP15Policy LPRSP14(A)Policy BE1Policy BE2Policy NE3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Maidstone Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
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- Allowed24 October 20253367625Merrymaids Farm, Couchman Green Lane, Staplehurst, Kent, TN12 0RR
- Dismissed22 August 20253361447Land At Riverdale, St Helens Lane, West Farleigh, Kent, ME15 0LB
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.