8 Witham Road, Wickham Bishops, WITHAM, CM8 3NQ

demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two storey detached replacement dwelling and a detached bungalow with associated access, parking and amenity

Authority: Maldon District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Bell-Williamson J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the appeal site and the surrounding area

What decided it

The unacceptably harmful effect on character and appearance caused by the forward positioning of the two-storey replacement dwelling significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of housing delivery in the context of a shortfall in five-year supply.

The limited net gain of one dwelling on previously-developed land and short-term economic benefits were outweighed by the unacceptably harmful effect on character and appearance, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.

Framework references: 2, 11, 74, 130

Plan policies cited: Policy D1, Policy H4

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

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.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.