Developers Submit New Plan for Housing at Ash Green’s Ancient Manor House

Published on: 4 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 4 Sep, 2024

By David Reading

Bewley Homes have put in a new proposal to build housing on land at Ash Manor, the ancient moated manor house in Ash Green.

In May 2022 the company lost an appeal to build 63 houses on the site and has now reduced to 54 the number they want to build.

Both GBC and the Ash Green Residents Association (AGRA) opposed Bewley’s appeal at the 2022 inquiry, which was held online due to Covid.

GBC’s defence of its decision was based on heritage, the five-year housing land supply and planning issues. AGRA was given equal status at the hearing with Bewley Homes and the borough council.

The latest proposal is for the erection of 54 homes with vehicle and pedestrian access from Ash Green Road, parking and cycle storage, open space on the site and landscape and ecology management.

The planning inspector, Christina Downes, based her 2022 refusal on several points, the most important being heritage. She said in her decision notice: “The appeal site is as important to the setting of the heritage assets as the other land surrounding them. Overall, the wider setting of the listed buildings contributes to their special interest both individually and as a group.”

The planning proposals for the site have a controversial history. In 2020 a High Court judge quashed planning permission for 73 homes on the site because a planning officer’s reports “seriously and materially” misled GBC’s Planning Committee.

The application for a judicial review had been made by Ash Green resident Sue Wyeth-Price, now a borough councillor for Ash South, on behalf AGRA and the residents of Ash Green. They were determined to protect the historical Ash Manor and its setting.

The judge, Mrs Justice Lang, said: “I am satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that the planning committee could have reached a different decision if they had been properly advised.”

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