Land at Crays Hall Farm, Church Lane, Crays Hill, CM11 2UN

Planning appeal 3318171 at Land at Crays Hall Farm, Church Lane, Crays Hill, CM11 2UN (Basildon District Council) was allowed on 30 August 2023 by Inspector Jackson P, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed new solar farm and associated infrastructure on the openness of the Metropolitan Green Belt, taking into account the existing Outwood Solar Farm.

installation of renewable energy generating station comprising ground mounted photovoltaic solar arrays together with substation, transformer stations, site accesses, internal access tracks, security measures, access gates, other ancillary infrastructure and landscaping and biodiversity enhancements

Authority: Basildon District Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
Inspector: Jackson P
Postcode: CM11 2UN

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposed new solar farm and associated infrastructure on the openness of the Metropolitan Green Belt, taking into account the existing Outwood Solar Farm
The effect on landscape character and visual amenity
Whether an undertaking or agreement is necessary to make the development acceptable in terms of the effects on farmland birds, healthcare, decommissioning and monitoring
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 very significant renewable energy, environmental and biodiversity benefits, combined with the lack of alternative suitable sites, clearly outweighed the Green Belt, landscape and visual harm, amounting to very special circumstances.

The substantial benefits of renewable energy generation, significant biodiversity enhancements and continued agricultural grazing use, together with the lack of alternative sites, clearly outweighed the harm by reason of inappropriateness and the other landscape, visual and Green Belt harm identified, amounting to very special circumstances justifying the development.

What the Inspector cited

National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 158Paragraph 151Paragraph 174Paragraph 11
Judgments: R (on the application of Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) and others) (Respondents) v North Yorkshire County Council (Appellant); [2020]; Wychavon DC v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2008] EWCA Civ 692; [2009]

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.

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The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

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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.