# 2 Ashfield Cottages, Hawkhurst (oak-framed garden room, listed building)

- **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
- **Tags:** tier-2, listed-building, heritage-harm-decisive, parties-consulted-on-2026-framework, national-landscape

## 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
- **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)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6006259
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/c17cf3c3-cb80-439a-9642-f66d35256a13

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6006259.html

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