®Planning appeal decision
The Steers, Pigstye Green Road, ONGAR, CM5 0QF
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
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.
Plan policies cited: Policy GB2A, Policy DM4, Policy CP2, Policy DM3, Policy H10A, Policy H4
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.