Dillywood

Medway Council

Planning Insight were instructed by Provectus Developments to secure planning permission for 12 homes on a previously developed site in the Green Belt at Dillywood, Medway.

The scheme sought to make better use of an underused site and deliver measurable community benefits, while navigating the sensitive Green Belt designation. Our task was to demonstrate compliance with the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and present a strong planning balance case in support of the development.

• Green Belt constraints
  The site’s Green Belt location required a robust justification for the development. We established that the site was previously developed land and, under NPPF paragraph 154(g), demonstrated that the impact on openness would be less than substantial, even though the built form increased.

• Viability pressures
  Project viability meant affordable housing could not be delivered as part of the scheme. We addressed this by emphasising other significant planning benefits, including contributions to education, healthcare, and nature conservation.

• Planning balance
  We articulated a clear case that the public benefits of the development outweighed any residual harm to the Green Belt, securing officer support for the application.

• Carried out a policy appraisal to confirm previously developed land status and demonstrate compliance with NPPF para 154(g).

• Prepared an openness assessment comparing pre‑ and post‑development impacts.

• Presented viability evidence and highlighted alternative contributions to local services and biodiversity.

• Engaged proactively with Medway officers to address concerns and maintain transparency throughout the process.

• Secured planning permission for 12 new homes in the Green Belt using a policy‑led argument under NPPF para 154(g).

• Gained officer support despite an increase in built footprint, by evidencing a less than substantial impact on openness.

• Successfully demonstrated that community contributions provided significant public benefits, justifying approval in the planning balance.

• Navigated viability constraints transparently, ensuring a deliverable scheme without affordable housing but with other valuable benefits.

Our success on this project resulted from our ability to thoroughly analyse the policy position on Green Belt and set out the arguments to local authority officers.

This approval highlights the opportunities available to deliver sustainable development on previously developed Green Belt sites when the right strategy is adopted. By aligning with updated national policy, focusing on measurable benefits, and engaging collaboratively with the local authority, we were able to secure consent for a challenging but rewarding scheme for our client.