Highsted Park Public Inquiry Now Closed

The Public Inquiry stage of the Secretary of State's ‘call in’ of the proposed Highsted Park development has now concluded (wednesday 5th November 2025), almost a year since Swale Borough Council’s Planning Committee was set to determine the application.

The Public Inquiry was examining the two planning applications for a development of up to 8,400 homes to the south and east of Sittingbourne.  It is understood to be the longest inquiry for a housing-led scheme ever considered by the Planning Inspectorate.

The applications were called in by the then Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner MP, on 7th November 2024, meaning the final decision will be made by the government, not the council.

Following the call in, the council’s Planning Committee considered the applications to indicate what decision would have been made. In both cases the committee would have refused the applications, and this was the position the council maintained throughout the inquiry.

The council presented detailed evidence to the Planning Inspector on key issues, including the significant impact to the landscape, loss of ancient woodland, harm to heritage assets, loss of high-quality agricultural land, and the proposals' conflict with the adopted Swale Local Plan.

Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of the council, told SFM News: “I want to thank all the residents, community groups, councillors, parish councils and officers who dedicated an enormous amount of time and energy to participate in this long and complex inquiry. We believe the case against this unsustainable development is overwhelming. From the beginning, we have been firm that this proposal is the wrong development in the wrong place. We presented a robust case to the inspector, and we now await the final decision, hopeful for an outcome that respects the wishes of our local communities and protects our borough’s character.”

With the Public Inquiry now closed, the planning process now moves to its next stage. After a short window of opportunity for parties to the Inquiry to comment on the legal agreement that is being prepared in the event that planning permission is granted, the Planning Inspector will review all the evidence, and prepare a detailed report on the applications.

This report will include her findings on the key issues and a formal recommendation to the Secretary of State on whether the planning applications should be approved or refused.

The new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed OBE MP (who was appointed to the role on the 5th September) will make the final decision, taking the Planning Inspector's report and recommendation into account.

There is no statutory timeframe for the decision, but it is typically issued several months after the inquiry closes. Swale Borough Council will share the final decision with the public as soon as it is published.