Medvale House, Mote Road, Maidstone, ME15 6AH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal would provide suitable living conditions for future occupiers, having particular regard to private amenity space
• Whether the proposed development would provide an appropriate standard of accommodation having regard to fire safety

What decided it

The combination of inadequate private amenity space contrary to local policy and unresolved fire safety concerns regarding reliance on a third-party shared escape stair, which together demonstrate that good design and human safety would not be delivered by the scheme.

The benefits of 87 dwellings in a sustainable location and the Council's housing land supply shortfall (carrying significant weight) were substantially outweighed by the poor design quality due to inadequate private amenity provision and the unacceptable fire safety risks, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not justify permission.