- Decision
- allowed, 24 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: John Pearce
- Authority
- Sevenoaks (South East)
- Appeal reference
- 6011192
- Application reference
- 26/00135/FUL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Two-stable block in a field (building only; no change of use of land)
- Site context
- green belt, national landscape, open countryside, rural lane
- Green Belt
- Yes
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- N4, GB7(1)(f)(iv)
- Development plan policies
- Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan 2015 EN5, LT2
- Main issues
- landscape and scenic beauty of the Kent Downs National Landscape
Summary
A small two-stable block in a field at Underriver, in the Kent Downs National Landscape and the Green Belt, was allowed on a non-determination appeal. The inspector found the low, dark-stained building, tucked by the access and hedges, would conserve the landscape and scenic beauty under N4. It was an outdoor recreation facility with minimised openness impact under GB7(1)(f)(iv).
Issues and findings
- Transition. "the parties have been provided with an opportunity to comment on the revised Framework" (DL ¶5).
- National Landscape, N4: PASS. "visibility is not analogous to harm and whilst the building would be detached from other development in the area, the stables would be of a scale and design that would be sensitive to the rural setting of the site" (DL ¶10). "the proposal would conserve landscape and scenic beauty in the NL" (DL ¶12).
- Green Belt, GB7(1)(f)(iv): PASS. "given the limited scale of the building and its discreet position, the impact on the openness of the Green Belt would be minimised and there would not be a significant conflict with the Green Belt purposes" (DL ¶14).
- Earlier dismissal distinguished. The earlier stable "would be a sizeable structure" set back from the road; this one is smaller and in the corner (DL ¶11).
Planning balance
None expressly. N4 and GB7(1)(f)(iv) met, no other harm (flooding, contamination, highways dealt with by conditions), so allowed (DL ¶15–16, ¶26).
What made the difference
Scale and siting: two stables with a low ridge by the existing access and hedgerow, rather than the larger isolated building dismissed in 2015. Conditions on private use, no lighting and no paraphernalia kept the effect small.
Transferable points
- Under N4, visibility is not the same as harm; a small, sensitively sited and finished building can conserve a National Landscape (DL ¶10).
- A small private stable is an outdoor recreation facility under GB7(1)(f)(iv) where openness impact is minimised (DL ¶13–14).
- A condition limiting stables to ponies fails the tests where the land can support horses (DL ¶25).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| N4 | pass | small, low, black-stained timber stable near the access and hedgerows; visible from the lane but "visibility is not analogous to harm"; conserves landscape and scenic beauty of Kent Downs NL; LURA s245 duty (DL 7-12) | |
| GB7(1)(f)(iv) | pass | outdoor recreation facility; openness impact minimised; no significant conflict with purposes, including encroachment; Council agreed (DL 13-14) | |
| TR6(4) | pass | existing lawful access; insignificant vehicle movements (DL 16) | |
| BNG (Sch 7A TCPA) | not-engaged | de minimis exemption agreed (under 25 sq m, no priority habitat); letter says "there is reason for me to disagree" (evidently meaning no reason) (DL 20) | |
| DM6 | pass | ponies-only condition not reasonable or necessary; private-use, no-lighting and no-paraphernalia conditions imposed (DL 24-25) |
Key facts
- Non-determination appeal; Council's statement argued for refusal (DL 3)
- Earlier stables appeal on the site dismissed (APP/G2245/W/15/3031307, larger and set back) and a dog-walking field appeal (APP/G2245/W/23/3314956) distinguished (DL 11)
- Enforcement notice on removed hardstanding remains in force for its own matters (DL 18)
- Costs application made; separate decision (DL 2)
- No S5(5) balance expressly run after the GB7 pass
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.