®Planning appeal decision
7 Hornfield Cottages, David Street, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0BU
Planning appeal 6005603 at 7 Hornfield Cottages, David Street, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0BU (Gravesham) was dismissed on 1 September 2026 by Inspector A M Nilsson, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies.
1st floor addition to side of house, ground floor addition to rear of house, conversion of attic to bedroom, new front porch and formation of 2 car parking bays within front garden
- Authority
- Gravesham
- Appeal type
- householder · Householder
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Inspector
- A M Nilsson
- Postcode
- DA13 0BU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the host dwelling and the surrounding area
- if the proposal is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposed development
What decided it
The substantial difference in design quality between the fallback scheme (which included a dropped ridge and setback in accordance with the SPD) and the appeal scheme (which omitted these features) meant the fallback could not outweigh the harm to character and appearance, and therefore very special circumstances did not exist.
the fallback position addressed the harm of inappropriateness and openness harm, but the substantial design harm to character and appearance was not outweighed by the fallback or other considerations, and therefore very special circumstances did not exist to justify the proposal
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS02 of the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy (2014)Policy C13 of the Gravesham Local Plan First Review (2014)Policy CS19 of the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy (2014)
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 Gravesham
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Allowed15 October 20266007106Blackthorn Farm, Wrotham Road, Culverstone Green, Meopham, Gravesend, DA13 0QW
- Dismissed10 June 20266003544Land South of White Post Lane, Cobham, Gravesend, DA13 9AX
- Planning permission granted19 March 20263349903Land North of Brecon Heron Hill Lane, Culverstone, Meopham, DA13 0DT
- Allowed11 March 20266001663Clijon Farm, Whitehill Road, Meopham, Kent, DA13 0NY
- Allowed6 January 20263370656Starwood, Pear Tree Lane, Shorne, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 3JU
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.