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Dismissed7 April 20223287595

The Steers, Pigstye Green Road, Ongar, CM5 0QF

Planning appeal 3287595 at The Steers, Pigstye Green Road, Ongar, CM5 0QF (Epping Forest District Council) was dismissed on 7 April 2022 by Inspector Major P, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The extent of the general need for sites for gypsies and travellers, current supply, and the particular need for sites for the Appellants and their families, including any personal circumstances.

the change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 5 gypsy families, each with 2 caravans including no more than 1 static caravan/mobile home, together with laying of hardstanding and erection of 2 ancillary amenity buildings

Authority
Epping Forest District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
caravan-gypsy · Change of use
Inspector
Major P
Postcode
CM5 0QF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The extent of the general need for sites for gypsies and travellers, current supply, and the particular need for sites for the Appellants and their families, including any personal circumstances
  • The effect on the openness of the Green Belt and its purposes
  • The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding landscape
  • Whether the harm by inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations such that very special circumstances exist to justify the grant of planning permission

What decided it

The identified Green Belt harm (inappropriateness and loss of openness) and significant harm to character and appearance were not clearly outweighed by the general and personal need for traveller sites, so very special circumstances were not established.

The substantial harm from inappropriateness and loss of openness, together with significant harm to character and appearance, was not clearly outweighed by the significant weight given to general and personal gypsy and traveller need and the limited weight given to historic policy failure, so the balance tipped against the grant of permission.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy GB2APolicy DM4Policy CP2Policy DM3Policy H10APolicy H4

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.

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The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022

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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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.