Land South East Of Oaklands, St Clere Hill Road, West Kingsdown, Kent, TN15 6AH

Planning appeal 3378336 at Land South East Of Oaklands, St Clere Hill Road, West Kingsdown, Kent, TN15 6AH (Sevenoaks District Council) was allowed on 28 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 · Change of use
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 combination of significant unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches and the appellant's personal circumstances, including the welfare of a young child, which justified a temporary and personal permission notwithstanding harm to the National Landscape and uncertainty over the Ancient Woodland buffer

the unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches and the family's personal circumstances, including the best interests of a young child, were balanced against the harm to the Kent Downs National Landscape, the Green Belt and the Ancient Woodland buffer, and tipped in favour of granting a temporary and personal permission subject to remedial conditions

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy LO8Policy EN5draft 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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Sevenoaks

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

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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.