Court of Appeal – Gladman Pond Farm appeal rejected

Gladman’s proposal for 330 houses on Pond Farm had been refused by Planning Committee and their appeals rejected by Public Planning Inquiry, Judicial Review, High Court and now the Court of Appeal (judgment issued on 12 September after a hearing in May).

This means that our village should be safe from development on this farmland bordered by Recreation Ground, Playstool Road and London Road.

The legal significance is: the principle that likely harm to air quality in an area is a reason to refuse a planning application; and the fact that, although Gladman were prepared to pay financial ‘mitigation’, this would not be able to prevent further pollution in this air quality management area.

Our congratulations and thanks to CPRE Kent (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) of which the Parish Council is a member.

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