Gypsy and traveller site at Witherden Farmhouse, Headcorn

What was proposed

The application sought to change an equine sand school into a traveller site with static and touring caravans, a facility block and parking.

“This retrospective application is for: Change of use of equine sand school to a gypsy/traveller site comprising siting of 4no. static caravans, erection of 1no. day room/facility block, 8no. parking spaces, and 4no. touring caravans (part retrospective).”

“The plan extracts below help to illustrate the development’s layout and the scale of the day room:”

Officer report

The site and its history

The site is a disused sand school in countryside, near existing traveller sites, with earlier approvals and refusals recorded for surrounding land and the farmhouse.

“Gypsy sites opposite application site (Lorne Greenacre & Granada) ● MA/12/0806 - Vary condition 1 of appeal decision for MA/89/1832 to allow additional caravan to be stationed on land – Approved ● MA/11/1413 - Stationing of mobile home for gypsy residential use - Approved ● MA/89/1832 – Gypsy site for 2 caravans – Refused (allowed at appeal)”

“The application site, a disused sand school and therefore previously developed land and not a field, is located on the northern side of Lenham Road behind a property known as Witherden Farmhouse. The site is some 390m to the south-west of the junction with Lenham Road and Bake Lane; and there are public rights of way within the surrounding area, including public right of way KH336 that is some 185m to the west of the site, running in a general north/south direction.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because policy allowed the accommodation, the location was acceptable, and significant countryside harm was not identified.

“REFERENCE NUMBER: 25/502740/FULL APPLICATION: Change of use of equine sand school to a gypsy/traveller site comprising siting of 4(no) static caravans, erection of 1(no) day room/facility block, 8(no) parking spaces, and 4(no) touring caravans.”

“There are no reasonable grounds to refuse the development on Gypsy status and sustainability in terms of location; and the development does not cause significant harm to the character and appearance of the countryside that falls within the Low Weald Landscape of Local Value.”

Officer report

What people said

Residents, the parish council and a councillor raised concerns including countryside harm, overdevelopment, sustainability, highways, flooding, infrastructure and cumulative effects.

“Local residents: 6 representations received raising concerns over: Countryside harm; overdevelopment of such development in area; parking provision; enforcement issues separate to this planning application; impact on settled community; contrary to policy/guidance; unsustainable location; highway safety; and impact on biodiversity.”

“- Application represents another site wholly unsuitable and totally insufficient for its purpose. - Unsustainable location. - Community infrastructure already stretched and general impacts on settled community. - proliferation of G&T sites in surrounding countryside cannot be maintained - Cumulative effect of so many G&T sites in such a small area.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A visiting member addressed the committee, and the senior planning officer corrected the proposed third condition to refer to four pitches.

The decision

Permission was granted subject to the report’s conditions as amended, with delegated powers given to settle or amend conditions and informatives.

“That permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report as amended by the Senior Planning Officer when introducing the application.”

“That the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informatives in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.”

Minutes