®Planning appeal decision
Land Rear of 248 Hart Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 3UQ
46 dwellings with open space, playspace, landscaping, access and associated infrastructure
- Authority
- Castle Point Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Thompson P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and purposes of including land within the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on the integrity of the features of European nature conservation sites at the Essex Coast
- other matters relevant to proposed development
- whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations. If so, would this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The severe and persistent unmet need for affordable housing, to which very substantial weight was attributed, clearly outweighed the limited harm to the Green Belt, amounting to very special circumstances.
The limited Green Belt harm (to which substantial weight attaches by definition) was clearly outweighed by other considerations, principally very substantial weight given to the delivery of 44 affordable homes plus moderate/limited weight to biodiversity, economic and environmental benefits, so very special circumstances existed and the balance tipped in favour of allowing the appeal.
Framework references: 148, 57
Plan policies cited: Policy EC13
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.