- Decision
- dismissed, 28 August 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: P Terceiro
- Authority
- Tunbridge Wells (South East)
- Appeal reference
- 6006259
- Application reference
- 26/00015/FULL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Oak-framed single-storey side garden room to one of a Grade II listed pair of cottages (Appeal A; linked LBC Appeal B 6006260)
- Site context
- listed building setting, national landscape
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- HE6(1), HE4(2), HE6(4)
- Development plan policies
- Tunbridge Wells Local Plan 2025 EN4, H11
- Main issues
- listed building
Summary
An oak-framed garden room on the side of a Grade II cottage pair was refused. Its scale would disrupt the balance of the pair and its glazing would contrast starkly with the host (DL 10-11). HE6 was applied and the benefits did not outweigh the harm (DL 16).
What made the difference
Harm to the pair's symmetry and legibility counted even though no historic fabric would be lost (DL 12).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HE6(4) | fail | width and depth unbalance the pair; heavily glazed, solid flat-roofed link; modest benefits insufficient (DL 10-16) | |
| N4 | neutral | localised harm; High Weald NL natural beauty conserved (DL 18) |
Key facts
- Parties invited to comment on the 17 Aug 2026 Framework (DL 5)
- No loss of historic fabric, but significance includes form, proportions and legibility (DL 12)
Related decisions
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.