Thoby Priory, Thoby Lane, Mountnessing, BRENTWOOD, CM15 0TB

Authority: Brentwood Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: employment-industrial · Change of use
Inspector: Parker C

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including any impact on openness, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
The effect of the development on heritage assets; specifically the Thoby Priory schedule monument, the Grade II listed building Thoby Priory Ruins, and archaeology
The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the location
The effect of the development on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers, including those at Thoby Priory
The effect of the development on pollution and/or contamination risks
Whether the proposal provides adequate parking arrangements for employees
If there is any harm arising by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, whether this is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The proposal represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would reduce openness and cause substantial harm to designated heritage assets, with the very special circumstances and public benefits required to justify approval not being demonstrated.

Framework references: 11, 104, 138, 147, 148, 149, 150, 174, 196, 199, 200, 201

Plan policies cited: Policy MG02, Policy BE16, Policy NE02, Policy BE14, Policy NE10, Policy BE12, Policy BE13

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.