Henry Boot announces that its land promotion and planning business, Hallam Land (Hallam), has secured planning permission on appeal for 290 homes in Sittingbourne, Kent.
In 2017 Hallam agreed a promotion agreement on a site adjacent to the urban area of Sittingbourne before submitting an outline application for the site in November 2022. Hallam successfully secured planning consent on an appealed decision in July 2024, following an initial refusal in 2022. The appeal was made on the basis that Swale Borough Council’s outdated development plan could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, which in turn was failing to meet the area's housing needs.
The planning consent for the site includes 290 homes (30% affordable), new landscaping, habitat creation, and publicly accessible green infrastructure—the Biodiversity Net Gain calculation forecasts over a 100% net gain for surrounding habitats. Hallam is actively marketing the site for sale and expects strong interest in this opportunity, in an area where there is a significant shortfall of both private and affordable homes.
Hallam continues to advance numerous planning applications with 13,392 plots in planning including seven active planning appeals, totalling c. 2,500 residential plots.
In addition, the new government has proposed significant revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), as part of its broader recognition that the current system is not working and is hindering economic growth. The proposed changes would provide much clearer direction to local authorities in terms of housing delivery, and they are expected to come into force later this year. As a result of these proposed changes, Hallam has already identified an additional 8,500 plots for expediting planning applications in the near future.
Tim Roberts, CEO of Henry Boot, commented: “Securing planning permission on appeal for hundreds of homes in Kent will enable the delivery of much-needed housing in the area. Hallam is in a strong position to help meet the new Government’s ambitious housing targets and objectives set out in the draft NPPF revisions.”
Image provided by FTI Consulting.
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