The Dover Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on 25 September 2025 to discuss several planning applications. These include the erection of nine dwellings in Capel-le-Ferne, a retrospective application for a fence enclosure in Ash, alterations to a listed building in Wootton, and the erection of a dwelling in Shepherdswell.

Erection of a dwelling with off-road parking at 4 Mill Lane, Shepherdswell

The committee will be considering a report about a planning application for the erection of a 1.5-storey chalet-style dwelling with off-road parking at 4 Mill Lane, Shepherdswell.

The application has received 137 objections, summarised as:

• Overshadowing and loss of light
• Potential for overlooking
• Out of character design and overdevelopment
• Harm to the character and appearance of Shepherdswell Conservation Area
• Noise disturbance during construction
• Exacerbation of existing parking issues
• Lack of space for vehicular turning
• Harm to the North Downs Way due to loss of previously approved green spaces
• Loss of trees and bushes
• Impact on the root protection area of a tree within the curtilage of 2 Mill Lane
• Lack of local infrastructure

The Mill Lane Report notes that the site is within the settlement boundaries of Shepherdswell and within Shepherdswell Conservation Area, and that it adjoins Public Right of Way ER77, which forms part of the North Downs Way route.

The report also notes that Shepherdswell Conservation Area extends to the north-east and south-west of the site, and is associated with development around the village green, The Bell Inn public house and Grade II Listed St Andrew's Church.

The planning officer's report states that the proposed location of the dwelling forward of the building line would not be in keeping with the grain of surrounding development, and that the design, form and scale of the dwelling would produce an incongruent building that would not sit comfortably within the site.

The report states that the proposal would cause less than substantial harm to Shepherdswell Conservation Area, and that the potential public benefits would not outweigh this harm.

The report also raises concerns about the impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties, particularly numbers 4 and 4a Mill Lane, and number 2 Mill Lane. It says that the proposed dwelling would be overbearing on number 4, producing an unacceptable sense of enclosure. It also says that the proposed arrangement of the dwelling would give rise to harm from overlooking to the rear garden and habitable rooms of the proposed dwelling.

The report notes that the proposal would provide insufficient parking for a 3-bedroom dwelling in a rural location, and that this is in conflict with the aims of policy TI3 of the Dover District Local Plan to 2040.

The planning officer recommends that planning permission be refused.

Erection of 9 dwellings at Longships, Cauldham Lane, Capel-le-Ferne

The committee will be considering a report about a planning application for the erection of 9 dwellings at Longships, Cauldham Lane, Capel-le-Ferne. The dwellings are proposed to be custom-built, through the customisation of different elevation materials, fenestration materials, internal layout, kitchen/bathroom design, tiling, flooring, paint and landscaping options.

The application has received 12 letters of objection, raising the following concerns:

• Impact upon mature trees
• Residential amenity; overlooking and loss of privacy
• Impact upon local infrastructure; drainage and flooding
• Highway safety; impact upon traffic and parking
• Impact upon ecology and biodiversity
• Affordable housing

Capel-le-Ferne Parish Council has also objected, raising the following concerns:

• Not in keeping with rural character
• Queries how the use of custom build dwellings and how changes during construction would be controlled
• Retention of existing trees and hedgerows along the boundary of the site; removal would result in impact upon local landscape
• Repositioning of units; plots 1,8 and 9 to be street fronting, proximity of plot 5 to neighbours and plots 3 and 4 further north
• Impact upon flooding
• Requests a biodiversity gain plan and enhancement measures
• Impact upon highway safety
• Previous refused planning application; would still not comply with policy PM1

The Longships Report notes that the site is located outside of the settlement of Capel but is directly adjacent to the confines. The Kent Downs National Landscape is located to the north-west of the application site.

The report notes that the site has been allocated within the Local Plan for 10 dwellings under Policy SAP45.

The planning officer's report states that the proposed development would not result in unacceptable harm upon the wider landscape area and would preserve the setting of the National Landscape.

The report notes that the application proposes the removal of 3 category B trees¹, but that 18 additional trees would be planted as part of the proposal. The report also notes that the application site is located within the designated affordable rural area and as such Policy SP5 requires development of 6 or more dwellings to provide no less than 30% of total housing to be affordable housing. However, the report states that a viability statement has been submitted which seeks to demonstrate that the development cannot support the provision of affordable housing or contributions.

The planning officer recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to a Section 106 legal agreement to secure a review mechanism for affordable housing and the custom-build nature of the dwellings, along with safeguarding conditions.

Erection of single storey rear extension at Pickleden Lodge, Wootton

The committee will be considering a report regarding two applications, DOV/25/00722 and DOV/25/00723, for Pickleden Lodge, Wootton Lane, Wootton. The first is a planning application for the erection of a single storey rear extension, double pitched and hipped roof above existing and proposed rear extensions. The second is a listed building consent application for the erection of a single storey rear extension and replacement roof to rear addition (existing conservatory to be demolished), and other alterations.

The applications have received 7 letters of support, with comments including:

• The proposal is a vast improvement on the existing flat roof extension.
• The proposal will be an improvement to this heritage asset.
• It is important to be allowed to bring our heritage housing stock into practical use for this and future generations.

The Pickleden Lodge Report notes that Pickleden Lodge is a grade II listed C19th lodge building. The single storey lodge building comprises a simple, compact, square plan form with pyramidal hipped slate roof structure and central chimney. The building has been altered through a flat roof rear extension and UPVc conservatory. The site is located within the countryside and Kent Downs National Landscape.

The council's Heritage Officer has recommended refusal, stating that the proposed extension would result in an incongruous addition, having the cumulative impact of overwhelming and dominating the Listed Building with modern development, detracting from the historic planform, resulting in harm to the special interest of the Listed Building.

The planning officer's report states that the proposed extension would be an incongruous addition and add a complexity to the simple historic planform of the listed building. The report also states that the cumulative impact of the existing and proposed additions would result in the listed building being overwhelmed with modern additions, detracting from its historic planform and architectural character.

The planning officer recommends that planning permission and listed building consent be refused.

Erection of fence enclosure at The Willows, East Street Farm, East Street, Ash

The committee will be considering a report about a retrospective planning application for the erection of a fence enclosure at The Willows, East Street Farm, East Street, Ash.

The application has received 6 objections, summarised as:

• Highway safety; restricts visibility splays onto East Street
• Visual amenity; fence is an eyesore

The Willows Report notes that a Grade II listed building is located at East Street Farmhouse, approximately 42m to west of the application site on the opposite side of the road.

The planning officer's report states that the fence enclosure is considered to be a modest addition to the property, and that it is not considered to detract from the character and appearance of the area.

The report also states that it is considered that there would be safe entering and exiting of the neighbouring site, given that there would be sufficient length to emerge and provide visibility splays around the fence enclosure.

The planning officer recommends that planning permission be granted.

Other items

The committee will also be asked to approve the minutes of the meetings held on 17 July and 21 August 2025. The Minutes Public Pack 17072025 Planning Committee.pdf contains the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2025. The minutes of the meeting held on 21 August 2025 are provided in the Supplementary Paper - Minutes of 21 August 2025 25th-Sep-2025 18.00 Planning Committee.pdf.