Planning appeal decision
Morgan's Farm, Chelmsford Road, , High Ongar, Ongar,, Essex, CM4 0LG
Planning appeal 3314945 at Morgan's Farm, Chelmsford Road, , High Ongar, Ongar,, Essex, CM4 0LG (Epping Forest District Council) was dismissed on 6 November 2023 by Inspector Smith A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
demolition of the existing buildings and erection of 3 no. 4-bed, single storey dwellings
- Authority
- Epping Forest District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Smith A
- Postcode
- CM4 0LQ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
- Whether or not the site represents a suitable location for housing development, having particular regard to the accessibility of facilities and services
- The effect of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the rural area, including consideration of its effects upon the settings and thereby the significance of the Grade II Listed Spurriers and the Locally Listed The Maltings
- If the proposal is found to be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether or not the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it
What decided it
The substantial harm to Green Belt openness from inappropriate development, combined with the site's unsuitability for housing due to poor accessibility and the limited harm to rural character, could not be outweighed by the modest benefits of three additional dwellings and economic activity.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy DM4Policy SP1Policy T1Policy DM7Policy DM22
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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 Epping Forest District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Dismissed28 October 20266011400Larksmead Nursery, St Leonards Road, Nazeing, EN9 2HQ
- Allowed27 October 20266008413Sparks Farm, Nine Ashes Road, Nine Ashes, CM4 0JZ
- Dismissed26 October 20266008699Denver Lodge, Waltham Road, Nazeing, EN9 2EB
- Dismissed23 October 20266013055Millers Farm, Epping Road, Roydon, Harlow, CM19 5DD
- Dismissed21 October 20266010759Spains Hall, Spains Hall Road, Willingale, Ongar, CM5 0QE
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.
®