Government takes control of East Malling 1,300-home planning decision

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has “called in” the planning application for land west of Hermitage Lane in East Malling — meaning the final say comes from Whitehall, not from the borough council. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council published its response on 20 August 2026, voicing its disappointment at the intervention.

The scheme itself is substantial. Alongside up to 1,300 homes, the plans include a primary school, a village centre, employment and community space, play areas, and road and infrastructure improvements. The council’s Planning Committee had already indicated it was minded to refuse the application before the Secretary of State intervened.

Under new Government policy introduced earlier this year, any housing application for more than 150 homes that a local council intends to refuse must be referred to the Secretary of State, who can then take the decision out of local hands entirely. This is the first time that policy has been used in Tonbridge and Malling borough.

The council wrote to Government arguing the intervention wasn’t justified. Its position was that the proposal:

• Does not conflict with national planning policy in a way that requires ministerial determination
• Does not raise issues of more than local importance
• Does not give rise to significant impacts beyond the immediate locality
• Does not involve exceptional architectural, urban design or national security considerations
• Does not provide a compelling reason to depart from the principle that planning decisions should be made locally wherever possible

The Secretary of State rejected those arguments and will now decide whether the development is approved or refused.

Cllr Mike Taylor, Cabinet Member for Planning, said he is frustrated by the decision. He said: “We are disappointed that the Secretary of State has taken this decision, especially since we were able to demonstrate that this application did not warrant a Government determination. Decisions like this should be left to local councillors, who understand the impacts on local communities and are best placed to weigh up the views of residents alongside planning considerations. We hope that the Secretary of State will give full consideration to the reasons why the Planning Committee was minded to refuse the application and ultimately reach the right conclusion.”

The council’s planning portal holds the full application for the East Malling land west of Hermitage Lane, where residents can view the submitted documents.