Planning appeal decision
Park Farm, Dunton Road, Herongate, CM13 3SG
Planning appeal 3301454 at Park Farm, Dunton Road, Herongate, CM13 3SG (Basildon District Council) was allowed on 5 April 2023 by Inspector Berry A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development on the openness of, and the purposes of including land within, the Green Belt, having regard to the Framework.
construction and operation of a solar farm together with all associated works, equipment and necessary infrastructure
- Authority
- Basildon District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- utilities-energy · Minor general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Berry A
- Postcode
- CM13 3SG
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development on the openness of, and the purposes of including land within, the Green Belt, having regard to the Framework
- whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The considerable weight afforded to climate change and renewable energy benefits, combined with the limited additional harm to Green Belt openness when considered in the context of the substantially larger approved solar farm scheme, clearly outweighed the substantial harm to the Green Belt and established very special circumstances.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy BAS GB1
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 138Paragraph 149Paragraph 150Paragraph 152Paragraph 158
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.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in Basildon Borough Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Split Decision16 July 20263353645Land West of Elizabeth Villa, Katherine Road, Bowers Gifford, Essex, SS13 2JX
- Notice varied and upheld14 July 20263357480The Hall, Church Road, Ramsden Bellhouse, Billericay, Essex, CM11 1RT
- Allowed14 July 20263357389The Hall, Church Road, Ramsden Bellhouse, Billericay, Essex, CM11 1RT
- Notice varied and upheld7 July 20263348737Land North of Studland Avenue, Wickford, Essex, SS12 0JP
- Allowed1 July 20266006402Land East of Bells Hill Road, Basildon, SS16 5JT
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.
®