120 homes and medical centre at Bassetts Farm, Horsmonden, Tonbridge

The site and planning history

The site is allocated for development, lies within Horsmonden’s built-up limits and had previously received a committee resolution to grant permission.

“Principle of Development 9.01 This application is still pending a formal decision following a resolution to grant at planning committee on 2 April 2025 and is subject to a S106 legal agreement. This is an allocated site in the Local Plan under AL/HO3 and is located within the limits for built development for Horsmonden. Please refer to Appendix 1 for the original committee report which deals with all other material considerations which are unchanged.”

Officer report

Changes since the earlier resolution

The application returned to committee to change the affordable housing tenure, add a village hall contribution and address reinstated orchards.

“To alter the affordable tenure of 48 units to: 60% (29 units) social rent and 40% (19 units) as intermediate tenures or other affordable routes to home ownership. Instead of 65% (31 units) social rent & 35% (17 units) intermediate rent. • To include a financial contribution towards a new village hall, based on additional justification and calculated at £719 per bedspace. There are 390 bedspaces which totals £280,410.”

“In order for these matters to be considered the application is reported back to planning committee for a decision to amend the resolution.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the changes complied with planning policies and the village hall contribution met the required tests.

“On the basis of the above: • The site would deliver 40% (48) affordable units at a policy compliant tenure of 60% (29 units) social rent and 40% (19 units) as intermediate tenures or other affordable routes to home ownership. • The village hall financial contribution submitted complies with the CIL tests. • The orchard areas have been reinstated and will have little impact on the overall BNG, as in excess of the 10% policy requirement.”

“The above amendments are considered acceptable and in accordance with local and neighbourhood plan policies and the overall aims of the NPPF. The changes to this application are recommended for approval, subject to a s106 legal agreement and planning conditions.”

Officer report

What consultees said

The housing and landscape teams raised no objection to the affordable housing tenure and orchard reinstatement.

“TWBC Housing Team (23.04.26) No objection to a policy compliant tenure split, In support of the policy compliant split of 60% Social Rent & 40% as intermediate tenures or other affordable routes to home ownership. This would equate 48 affordable homes split as 29 dwellings for social rent and 19 dwellings for intermediate tenures, or other routes to home ownership.”

“TWBC Landscape and Biodiversity (13.01.26) No objection. Whilst the removal of the orchards appears catastrophic in the short term, it will in the long term have little effect in terms of landscape or biodiversity, provided that the orchard is properly replanted and managed. Easier to work with an established orchard than it is to establish a new one but replanting of commercial orchards such as this is common practice.”

Officer report

What people said

The parish council and two objectors raised concerns about the village hall contribution, orchard clearance, replacement trees and tree care.

“HPC Object to lack of a village hall development contribution: • additional justification provided; request reconsider a development contribution towards the new village hall based on a bedspace calculations as per other sites in village.”

“In respect of the 2 further representations, the following objections are raised: • devastation caused by removing these trees, smoke and disturbance • the replacement trees should be certified under the MAFF Fruit Propagation Certification Scheme (FPCS) • to provide like for like, pollinators should be included in the replanting programme • needs a care programme in place to ensure establishment of trees • inconsistencies relating to condition discharge applications for…”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objector, the applicant’s agent and a parish council representative registered to speak.

The vote and decision

Members unanimously approved the application with the corrected village hall contribution and the listed legal agreement, conditions and informatives.

“RESOLVED – That application PLA314/25 be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report, and subject to the completion of:”

“A legal agreement under s106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) in a form agreed by the Head of Legal Partnerships and the Head of Planning (subject to minor alterations, projects and recalculation as necessary by the Head of Planning) to secure:”

Minutes