Five Homes Approved by Ashford for Backland Site in Charing, Kent
Planning permission from Ashford Borough Council for five detached family homes on a backland site in Charing, Kent, increasing the number of dwellings from an earlier appeal consent through negotiation and resubmission.
PLANNING APPROVALSASHFORDKENT
Andrew Ransome
6/28/20262 min read
In 2019, Ashford Borough Council approved planning permission for five high-quality detached family homes on a backland site on the edge of Charing village in Kent.
An earlier, smaller scheme had been secured at appeal, establishing the principle of development. The number of dwellings was subsequently increased through a carefully negotiated resubmission, demonstrating the value of a long-term, strategic approach to maximising a site's development potential.
Increasing Density in Ashford
Planning permission was secured from Ashford Borough Council for five detached family homes with spacious plots on a backland site at the edge of Charing village, Kent.
The project had a complex history: the site lay outside the settlement boundary, was subject to ecology restrictions, contained trees with Tree Preservation Orders, and was subject to a strict local design code — a combination of constraints that made realising its potential a multi-stage process.
Initial involvement in the project focused on assessing the site's development options and identifying the most appropriate strategy.
An initial planning application for a smaller scheme was secured at appeal, establishing the critical principle that residential development on this site was acceptable in principle and overcoming the settlement boundary objection on housing land supply grounds.
With the principle of development banked and the appeal decision providing a strong evidential foundation, attention turned to whether the site could accommodate a larger scheme without adverse impact on amenity or local character.
It was identified that a resubmission for five dwellings — an increase on the appeal scheme — was achievable within the constraints of the site.
Careful negotiations were conducted with Ashford Borough Council, addressing the ecology, TPO and design code requirements, and the resubmission was carefully designed to respond to all three.
Ashford Borough Council approved the five-dwelling scheme, delivering a high-quality addition to local housing stock on a site that had initially appeared to have limited potential.
Planning Application Advice
If a site has complex constraints but an initial planning foothold has been established, I can advise on whether a larger or improved scheme is achievable and manage the negotiation and resubmission process. Get in touch to discuss your site.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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