Land South of Newlands Road , WICKFORD, Essex, SS12 9ER

Use of land for the stationing of caravans for residential purposes with ancillary dayroom and hardstanding

Authority: Basildon District Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: caravan-gypsy · Major traveller and caravan pitches
Inspector: Dignan P

What decided it

The substantial and cumulative harm to Green Belt openness, purposes and local character was not clearly outweighed by unmet Traveller need, personal circumstances or Human Rights considerations, other than for Plot 3 where very special circumstances existed to secure satisfactory living conditions for an already-permitted pitch.

Very substantial Green Belt, character and intentional-breach harm outweighed the significant weight given to unmet Traveller pitch need, absence of alternative sites, personal circumstances, Human Rights interference and the best interests of children, save in respect of Plot 3 where the need for satisfactory living conditions outweighed the very limited Green Belt harm.

Framework references: 154

Plan policies cited: BAS GB1, BAS BE12

Judgments cited: Geall v SSE [1998] EWCA Civ 1940

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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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.

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