®Planning appeal decision
Land South East Of Oaklands, St Clere Hill Road, West Kingsdown, Kent, TN15 6AH
Planning appeal 3377906 at Land South East Of Oaklands, St Clere Hill Road, West Kingsdown, Kent, TN15 6AH (Sevenoaks District Council) was allowed on 8 September 2026 by Inspector King T, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, with particular regard to the appeal site's location within the Kent Downs National Landscape; and also due to its proximity to Ancient Woodland.
- Authority
- Sevenoaks District Council
- Appeal type
- Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- King T
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, with particular regard to the appeal site's location within the Kent Downs National Landscape; and also due to its proximity to Ancient Woodland
- the occupier's personal circumstances along with other relevant considerations
What decided it
the substantial unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches combined with the children's best interests and the Council's emerging strategy to address that need justified a temporary, personal permission despite harm to the National Landscape and Ancient Woodland.
the recognised unmet need for pitches, the children's best interests and the Council's emerging gypsy strategy were balanced against the potential harm to the Kent Downs National Landscape, the Green Belt/grey belt considerations and the Ancient Woodland, with the Inspector granting a temporary and personal permission subject to restorative conditions
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy LO8 of the Sevenoaks Core StrategyEN5 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plandraft policy GT1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Policy HO12Policy GB7Policy N6
- Judgments
- Stevens v SSCLG [2013] EWHC 792 (Admin)
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 Sevenoaks
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Allowed1 October 20266004899Lower Fawke Farm, Bitchet Green Road, Fawke Common, Underriver, TN15 0JX
- Planning permission granted28 September 20263378336Land South East Of Oaklands, St Clere Hill Road, West Kingsdown, Kent, TN15 6AH
- Allowed24 September 20266011192Land Surrounding The Stables, Underriver House Road, Underriver, TN15 0SJ
- Dismissed22 September 20266012481Well Hill Nursery, Fountain Farm, Firmingers Road, Orpington, BR6 7QH
- Allowed22 September 20266012162Oakwood House, School Lane, West Kingsdown, TN15 6AW
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.