12 Symonds Drive Sittingbourne Kent ME10 3GD Data via plota.co.uk

26/504101/LAWPRO - Lawful Development Cert. (Proposed) Awaiting decision

Proposal

Lawful development certificate for proposed use of existing dwelling (Class C3) as a children's home for two children, supported by two daytime care staff and one single waking-night worker overnight. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
around 26 Oct 2026
Decision
Expected by 21 Dec 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision between 24 Dec 2026 and 13 Jan 2027, from Swale's recent changes of use.

Site constraints 5

Public footpath 10 m away
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site: obstructing a path without a diversion order is an offence, and work cannot start until the order is confirmed.
Compiled from highway authority data, not the legal definitive map. A few authorities have not published, so no path shown is not proof there is none.
Agricultural land, grade 2, surveyed
Best and most versatile land (grades 1, 2 and 3a). Source: Natural England's post-1988 ALC field survey (Reading). Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 1; the survey is the definitive reading.
Where development of farmland is needed, policy prefers poorer land over the best and most versatile (grades 1, 2 and 3a). Three sources: Natural England's post-1988 field surveys, which are definitive where they exist; the Defra predictive map for England (2025) and the Welsh Government predictive map, modelled from the soil map with 3a and 3b split; and the 1970s provisional map, which planners and other services still show, coarser and with grade 3 undivided. Where the provisional and predicted grades disagree, treat the predicted grade as the current estimate and expect an application to carry its own survey.
Survey report ↗
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 1
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Also on the record
1 listed building within 150 m; Inside the Sittingbourne built-up area.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 1 November 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

Sales history 3

Last sold for £237,500 in January 2018. Semi-detached house, freehold.

24 January 2018£237,500
22 May 2015£180,000
30 September 2011£149,995New build

Sale prices from HM Land Registry's price paid record, matched to this application by its address.

Building

Floor area77 m² (829 sq ft)
Energy ratingC (79 out of 100), could reach A
PropertySemi-detached house, 5 habitable rooms
Built2007 to 2011
HeatingBoiler and radiators, mains gas
WallsCavity wall, as built, insulated (assumed)

From the energy performance certificate lodged in March 2022, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Council
Swale
Application type
Lawful Development Cert. (Proposed)
Postcode
ME10 3GD
Received
around 26 Oct 2026
Validated
26 Oct 2026
Ward
Murston
Case officer
Show
Target decision
21 Dec 2026
Decision level
Delegated Decision
Applicant
Show

Decision outlook

Day 16 of the 56-day target. Swale usually decides changes of use by day 70.

Day 1654 days to the predicted decision (day 70)
39%decided within 8 weeks
74%approved
56decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Swale in the last twelve months, from validation. Swale decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15248779
Planning Portal ref
PP-15248779
Statutory expiry
21 Dec 2026
Env. assessment
No
Swale
Planning Authority Score
2.3/10
Poor
#263 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Swale is one of the slowest councils in England for householder decisions, ranking #275 out of 296. The council extends the time limit on 70% of applications - one of the highest rates in England. Expect your application to take longer than the standard deadline. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (94%) than the national average (90%).

Among the slowest councils in England
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Swale decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
89%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #143 of 296
94%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #120 of 296
37%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #275 of 296
70%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #286 of 296
72%
Minor dwellings approved
81 decided (1-9 homes)
84%
Major dwellings approved
25 decided (10+ homes)
95%
Change of use approved
22 decided
658
Total decisions
71 refused in the year to March 2026

Sale prices: Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.