Planning appeal decision
Land Adjacent to Spinney Mead, Mill Lane, High Ongar, Ongar, CM5 9RQ
Planning appeal 3257191 at Land Adjacent to Spinney Mead, Mill Lane, High Ongar, Ongar, CM5 9RQ (Epping Forest District Council) was dismissed on 23 December 2021 by Inspector Szymanski D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether or not the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
a new detached bungalow as per drawing nos. 2202/04, 05 and 06
- Authority
- Epping Forest District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Szymanski D
- Postcode
- CM5 9RQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposed development upon the openness of the Green Belt
- if the proposal is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, and if so, would this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The significant harm to the openness of the Green Belt from the scale and bulk of the proposed development, which carries substantial weight and is not clearly outweighed by the moderate benefits identified.
The moderate benefits of the scheme (economic benefit, housing provision, visual improvements) do not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt, and therefore do not amount to very special circumstances.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GB2APolicy GB7APolicy DM4
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 147Paragraph 149Paragraph 150Paragraph 149gParagraph 149fParagraph 137Paragraph 149g
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2021
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- Dismissed23 October 20266013055Millers Farm, Epping Road, Roydon, Harlow, CM19 5DD
- Dismissed21 October 20266010759Spains Hall, Spains Hall Road, Willingale, Ongar, CM5 0QE
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.
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