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Dismissed8 October 20266012673

Land 150metres East by Southeast of Barkleys Farm, Burnthouse Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QQ

Planning appeal 6012673 at Land 150metres East by Southeast of Barkleys Farm, Burnthouse Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QQ (Ashford Borough Council) was dismissed on 8 October 2026, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the development would be accessible to facilities and services by sustainable means of transport.

the erection of two self-build dwellings, garages, cycle storage, bin storage, access and associated landscaping

Authority
Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning
Procedure
Written
Development
residential
Postcode
TN27 8QQ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the development would be accessible to facilities and services by sustainable means of transport
  • The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the countryside

What decided it

The site's location beyond easy walking distance of facilities and services, combined with poor accessibility by sustainable transport and the substantial harm to rural character and appearance, means the development conflicts with the development plan and does not satisfy the criteria in Policy S5 of the Framework, and the acknowledged housing land supply shortfall is insufficient to outweigh these harms.

The substantial harm from poor accessibility to sustainable transport and harm to rural character and appearance, to which substantial weight was given, outweighed the substantial weight in principle given to housing provision and the modest beneficial weight given to biodiversity improvements and self-build potential.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy SP1Policy SP2Policy HOU5Policy SP6Policy ENV3aPolicy ENV5

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 Ashford Borough Council

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

  1. Allowed9 April 20263368725
    Land Adjacent to the Bull Inn, Bethersden, Ashford, TN26 3LB
  2. Dismissed7 April 20266003396
    Barn South of Chart Court Barn, Pluckley Road, Little Chart, Ashford, Kent, TN27 0QH
  3. Allowed30 March 20266002407
    Belvedere Stables, High Halden Road, Nr Ashford, Kent, TN30 6SY
  4. Dismissed17 December 20253372707
    58 Otterden Close, Stanhope, Kent, TN23 5TH
  5. Allowed8 December 20253358518
    Court Lodge Farm, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3QW

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.