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Dismissed16 September 20266006475

Land Between Copper Lodge and The Cloth Hall, Water Lane, Smarden, Ashford, TN27 8QB

Planning appeal 6006475 at Land Between Copper Lodge and The Cloth Hall, Water Lane, Smarden, Ashford, TN27 8QB (Ashford Borough Council) was dismissed on 16 September 2026 by Inspector G Bayliss, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposal on designated heritage assets, including the Smarden Conservation Area and nearby Listed Buildings.

35 dwellings, together with all associated landscaping and infrastructure

Authority
Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type
major · Planning
Procedure
Hearing
Development
residential
Inspector
G Bayliss
Postcode
TN27 8QB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The effect of the proposal on designated heritage assets, including the Smarden Conservation Area and nearby Listed Buildings
  • The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area, with regard to landscape character
  • Whether or not the proposal would provide suitable living conditions for future occupants with regard to outlook and privacy

What decided it

The clear, permanent and unjustified harm to designated heritage assets, particularly the Grade II* Cloth Hall and the Smarden Conservation Area, outweighed the substantial housing benefits.

The substantial weight attached to housing and affordable housing delivery was outweighed by the very substantial weight attributed collectively to heritage harm, landscape/character harm and poor living conditions for future occupants.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
SP6HOU5ENV3aENV13HOU15ENV5
National Planning Policy Framework
Policy HE4Policy HE6Policy HE9Policy DP3Policy N2Policy N3Policy HO7Policy HO8Policy S5Policy L3

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Ashford Borough Council

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

  1. Dismissed29 October 20266007592
    Homestall Farm, Ashford Road, High Halden, TN26 3BS
  2. Dismissed26 October 20266009946
    Daniel Farm, Smarden Bell Road, Pluckley, TN27 0SY
  3. Dismissed8 October 20266012673
    Land 150metres East by Southeast of Barkleys Farm, Burnthouse Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QQ
  4. Dismissed30 September 20266011717
    4-6 Ashford Road, Tenterden, TN30 6QU
  5. Dismissed30 September 20266011714
    4-6 Ashford Road, Tenterden, TN30 6QU

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.