The Canterbury City Council Planning Committee met on 19 August 2025, and approved a planning application for 16 new dwellings in Herne Bay. The committee also noted a report on recent planning appeal decisions.

Application for 16 dwellings at North of Bullockstone Road / Canterbury Road Roundabout, Sth of Thanet Way, Herne Bay

The committee approved planning permission for 16 two and three-storey dwellings, green space and associated works at North of Bullockstone Road / Canterbury Road Roundabout, Sth of Thanet Way, Herne Bay. This followed a previous decision on 22 July 2025 to defer the application for further information. Councillor Robert Jones had declared that he is the Ward Councillor for Herne and Broomfield, but that he retained an open mind on the application.

The committee had previously asked for clarification on two points:

• The relationship and integration of affordable housing on the site
• Highway safety matters, including the loss of the existing fence along the roadside boundary with the roundabout and the proximity of the front 5 dwellings to the road

According to the CA 24 01903 Report, the scheme was amended to address the committee's concerns. Plots 12-16 were rotated to face into the site, onto the central green space, and moved further north away from Canterbury Road. The acoustic fence to the southern boundary was retained.

The CA 24 01903 Report noted that there is a need for housing in the district, including affordable housing. Because the council cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of housing¹, there is a 'tilted balance' in favour of development. The report stated that the benefits of the scheme, including the delivery of housing and affordable dwellings, outweigh the urbanising impact on the conservation area².

The planning permission is subject to a section 106 legal agreement³ and safeguarding conditions. Condition 12 was amended to include a hard and soft landscaping plan.

Planning Appeals

The committee noted a report from Stevie Andrews, Planning Manager, on planning appeals decisions. The Appeal Summary August 2025 included the following:

• An appeal was allowed against the council's refusal of a change of use application at 25 Nunnery Fields, Canterbury. The application was for the change of use of the ground floor from a public house to retail, together with a part single-storey rear extension and external staircase at the rear. The planning inspector allowed the appeal because an updated retail sequential test⁴ demonstrated that there were no sequentially preferable sites within a 3-mile catchment area. An appeal for costs against the council was refused.
• An appeal was allowed against the council's refusal of an application for the erection of a 1.8m high concrete-framed timber fence at 18 Rosemary Gardens, Whitstable. The planning inspector considered that the fence would not disrupt the open character of the plots along the street.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for a single-storey rear extension, rear dormer, 2 no. rooflights to front together with replacement windows and doors from aluminium to timber at 83 Sydenham Street Whitstable. The planning inspector agreed with the council's decision that the prominence, bulk and flat roof design of the proposed dormer failed to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
• An appeal was allowed against the council's refusal of an application under the prior approval⁵ process for a first-floor extension at Wilmington Lodge Trenley Drive Canterbury. The planning inspector considered that the additional storey would not dominate the street scene and the spacious rural character of the area would be retained.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for replacement windows from timber to UPVC to the front elevation at Ground Floor Flat 42 South Road Herne Bay. The planning inspector agreed that the change in design and materiality of the windows would erode the character and appearance of the conservation area.
• An appeal was allowed against the council's refusal of an application for the insertion of a garage door to a carport at 11 Fairbrass Way Thanington Without. The planning inspector considered that the carport could still be used for parking and cars could still safely enter and exit the site.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for the installation of 3 storage containers with cladding and erection of a fence at Dean Court Station Approach Whitstable. The planning inspector considered that the storage containers would appear stark and the height of the proposed fence would be intrusive and detract from the area.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for replacement windows from timber to UPVC to front and side elevations at 20 Mill Lane Canterbury. The planning inspector considered that the replacement of timber windows with UPVC would be inconsistent with other dwellings in the area and detract from the area.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for the formation of an access at 13 Gordon Road Herne Bay. The planning inspector agreed that the parking space would be substandard and cars overhanging the pavement would reduce the area available for pedestrians.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for the formation of an access together with driveway at 143 Faversham Road Seasalter. The planning inspector agreed that visibility from the proposed access would be impaired by parked cars.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for 2 two-storey detached dwellings with associated parking at Land between St Teresa and Glen Cottage Clapham Hill Whitstable. The planning inspector agreed that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate the proposal would have an acceptable effect on protected species and biodiversity and the visibility splays would extend over their party land outside of the appellants control.
• Appeals were dismissed against the council's refusal of outline applications for two-storey detached dwellings together with single-storey detached garages at Land adjacent to Dargate Road Yorkletts and Land South of Dargate Road Yorkletts. The planning inspector considered that the sites were not in a suitable location with regard to local development strategy and accessibility to services and facilities.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for change of use from Guest House to dwelling at Hillview 82 South Street Whtstable. The planning inspector concluded that the proposal would be detrimental to the provision of visitor accommodation in the district.
• An appeal was dismissed against the council's refusal of an application for two-storey residential holiday accommodation following demolition of existing building at Toilet block Beach Court Residential Park Faversham Road Seasalter. The planning inspector did consider the design to not be of high quality.