®Planning appeal decision
Land east & west of A130 and north & south Of Canon Barns Road , East Hanningfield, Chelmsford, Essex , CM3 8BD
the construction and operation of a solar farm and battery storage system together with all associated works, equipment and necessary infrastructure
- Authority
- Chelmsford Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Plenty B
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposal on the openness of, and purposes of including land within, the Green Belt
- The effects of the development on the settings of the Grade II* listed building Church of St Mary and St Edward, and the Grade II listed building Church House and other non-designated heritage assets
- The effects of the proposed development on the landscape character and appearance of the area
- The effect of the proposal on agricultural land
- The effect of the development on the integrity of the SPA
- Whether the harm caused by the proposal, by virtue of being inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and any other identified harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations to result in 'Very Special Circumstances'
What decided it
The very substantial public benefits of renewable energy generation clearly outweighed the substantial Green Belt harm and other identified harms, establishing very special circumstances.
The substantial harm from Green Belt inappropriateness and loss of openness, together with moderate landscape/visual harm and limited harm to BMV land and a non-designated heritage asset, was clearly outweighed by the very substantial benefits of renewable energy generation, amounting to very special circumstances justifying approval.
Framework references: 149, 150, 147, 148, 137, 138, 174, 158
Plan policies cited: DM6, DM10, DM13, DM14, DM15, DM18, DM19
Judgments cited: People over Wind and Sweetman v Coillte Teoranta ECLI:EU:C:2018:244
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.