Permission was granted to regularise the use for mixed use as ancillary and tourist accommodation, with retrospective permission for the construction of a shed in the residential curtilage of the house.

The site is located outside the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about a mile from Sissinghurst village, and well located for the many tourist attractions in the Weald of Kent, particularly Sissinghurst Castle Garden.

The stable building incorporates garages and space for storage of land maintenance equipment for the client. While the garages and storage have been used, the client had never used the stables for horses, but they have been converted and used as overflow accommodation for their family. As the family has grown and moved away from home the building is now used mainly as tourist accommodation.

Our team was able to show that the reuse of the stables as tourist accommodation, and the development of the shed, had no detrimental impact on the character or appearance of the countryside, highways, or residential neighbours.

The use of part of the stables as tourist accommodation supports the rural economy and represents sustainable development.

The planning authority approved this application.