A decision by the council to issue an enforcement notice demanding land at a former nursery in Istead Rise stopped being used by a drainage company, has been upheld by a Planning Inspector.
The land was being used by a drainage company as a base for operating their business including the parking of HGVs.
The council issued the enforcement notice in December last year, following the change of use of Walnut Hill Nursery in Walnut Hill Road, from agricultural to mixed commercial, business and services without planning permission.
The enforcement notice required all HGV tanker lorries be removed from the land, and the cessation of the use of the land for the commercial, business and services use.
Following an appeal and a site visit in April, the planning inspector ruled the appeal had failed and refused to grant planning permission for a change of its use.
Welcoming the decision, Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox, Gravesham Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Business Development, said: “The use of this Green Belt site as a base for HGVs in particular was causing serious concerns for local residents.
“They quite rightly highlighted the detrimental impact of the business’s operations on neighbouring residential uses and the unsuitability of the country lanes approaching the site for the level of lorry movements at all times of the day and night, something we are in complete agreement with.
“To us, the detrimental impact of the unapproved change of use was not something the council could accept and which we could not let go unchallenged.
“We are grateful to the Inspectorate for their decision.”