Outline Planning Permission Granted by Ashford for 2 Dwellings Outside of the Settlement
Outline planning permission from Ashford Borough Council for two dwellings outside the settlement boundary in Charing Heath, Kent, adjacent to a Grade II listed building, using housing land supply arguments and sustainability evidence.
PLANNING APPROVALSASHFORDKENT
Andrew Ransome
6/22/20262 min read
In 2017, Ashford Borough Council granted outline planning permission for two new homes in Charing Heath, Kent, on a plot outside the settlement boundary and adjacent to a Grade II listed building.
The case was resolved by demonstrating that the Council could not evidence a five-year housing land supply, that the site represented a sustainable extension to the settlement, and that the proposal would cause no harm to the setting of the listed building.
Overcoming Ashford's Restrictive Planning Policies
Outline planning permission was obtained from Ashford Borough Council for two new dwellings in Charing Heath, a small village in Kent with limited local services.
The site lay outside the defined settlement boundary and was adjacent to a Grade II listed building — two constraints that required a well-evidenced and carefully argued planning case to overcome.
My planning evidence included a thorough site analysis, a sustainability review, a local and national policy assessment, a review of access issues, and a detailed examination of planning precedent in the area. The statement set out a clear and well-reasoned justification for each aspect of the scheme.
The central planning argument was that Ashford Borough Council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
Where a council cannot evidence sufficient supply, local plan policies restricting development outside settlement boundaries carry reduced weight and the NPPF's presumption in favour of sustainable development applies.
The scheme was shown to represent a sustainable and well-contained extension to the village, efficiently using land, contributing positively to local housing supply, and respecting the setting of the adjacent listed building.
Ashford Borough Council accepted the planning case and granted outline permission.
Planning Application Advice
If you have a rural or edge-of-settlement site in an area where housing land supply is constrained, I can advise on the prospects and prepare the evidence needed to support a planning application. Contact me to discuss your land.
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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