Rejected plans to build a 200-space, 24-hour lorry park on fields near a motorway junction have been overturned following an appeal.
Councillors at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) turned down the proposals to erect the facility on green belt land near Junction 2a of the M26 at Wrotham Heath.
The local authority decided in 2022 that the development between Sevenoaks and West Malling would “erode the rural character and appearance of the area” and “cause significant harm to the landscape setting” of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
It also said that it would encroach on the countryside and there were no special circumstances that outweighed the harm to the green belt.
However, service station giant Moto Hospitality appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate which overruled the previous refusal.
The government agency published its decision last month, granting outline permission for the truck stop, which would have 200 lorry spaces, a fuel station, an amenity building and new access to the A20.
The inspector stated the 16-acre piece of land, despite being in the Metropolitan Green Belt, met the definition of grey belt land as it does not strongly contribute to the green belt purposes.
Although they agreed the scheme would cause the loss of a green field in the countryside and harm the open rural character, they said it would “be limited and localised” due to the existing developments nearby.
In their report, they stated that despite the fields’ agricultural use, it is “far from tranquil due to the presence of the M26” and is affected visually and aurally by the nearby motorway.
The inspector added: “The proposal would result in increased consolidation of development along the A20 and result in the loss of an open and undeveloped field which contributes positively to the setting of the Kent Downs National Landscape (KDNL).
“These changes would cause limited and localised visual harm to the setting of the KDNL which could not be avoided.”
The inspector decided the proposed landscaping scheme would mitigate any adverse impacts and the proposals would “not be detrimental to the natural beauty or quiet enjoyment” of the landscape.
Moto Hospitality said there is a need for about 1,000 additional lorry parking spaces in Kent, which the planning inspector said was a “compelling” argument and an “ongoing” issue “likely to increase over time”.
They added: “It seems to me that providing a safe place for drivers to use a toilet, have a shower, purchase a meal and sleep overnight without fear of crime can hardly be described as a luxury.
“It would help to meet the significant and demonstrable unmet need for a motorway truck stop in Kent and would be in a sustainable location for its purpose.
“The proposal would provide a range of important public benefits which would support the freight and logistics sector.
“I therefore conclude that the economic, social and environment benefits of the proposal, which together carry very substantial and significant weight, outweigh the great weight associated with the cumulative harms to the KDNL, heritage assets and the local area.”
Moto Hospitality operates more than 50 service stations and is one of the largest motorway service operators in the UK.
Jess Lockwood, the company’s property director, welcomed the decision saying: “The severe shortage of HGV parking in Kent forces drivers into unsuitable and unsafe locations such as lay-bys and industrial estates, increasing stress to essential workers in an industry already struggling to retain and recruit staff.
“We welcome the Planning Inspectorate’s recognition of the need for additional HGV spaces in the area and the decision in favour of our application to deliver a much-needed new facility at M26 J2a, between Wrotham and Wrotham Heath.
“While our approval establishes the principle of development on the site, there is still a long way to go before the site becomes operational, including the submission and approval of a detailed reserved matters application.
“We remain fully committed to working closely with the community, nearby stakeholders, and the local planning authority on our proposals as they develop.”
However, the leader of TMBC, Cllr Matt Boughton, said the decision is a “real concern” for those looking to protect green belt land.
He added: “Despite recognising the impact on the character and appearance of the local area and harm to the KDNL, it is clear that the government’s new ‘grey belt’ tilts the balance in favour of development in what we have known as green belt land for decades.
“Regardless of your view on the need for HGV parking in Wrotham Heath, there are profound implications for protection of our green belt with this decision.”
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Cllr Harry Rayner, the Kent County Council member for the area, previously said he thought the scheme was in the wrong location compared to where demand will be and that it would be better sited at the M20 Maidstone services near Leeds Castle.
He said more freight will end up using the M20 via Blue Bell Hill when the Lower Thames Crossing proposal, between Gravesend and Essex, is built.
