The Pillars, Tysea Hill, Stapleford Abbotts, ROMFORD, RM4 1JU

Conversion of former commercial buildings to three dwellings. Demolition of identified remaining buildings and erection of four dwellings

Authority: Epping Forest District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Mileham P

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
Whether the proposed development is in a suitable location for new residential development
If the proposal is inappropriate development, whether or not there are any other considerations which clearly outweigh the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to allow the development

What decided it

The proposals represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt causing substantial harm to openness and are located in an unsustainable location requiring reliance on private vehicles, and the benefits do not clearly outweigh these harms to constitute very special circumstances.

Framework references: 142, 152, 153, 154, 155, 83, 124

Plan policies cited: Policy DM4, Policy SP1, Policy SP2, Policy T1

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.

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