®Planning appeal decision
Land to South of Marsh Farm, Fobbing, SS17 9JW
Planning appeal 3328712 at Land to South of Marsh Farm, Fobbing, SS17 9JW (Thurrock Borough Council) was allowed on 22 March 2024 by Inspector Woolcock J, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effects of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.
the installation of a renewable led energy generation station, comprising ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays and battery-based electricity storage containers together with substation, inverter/transformers stations, site access, internal access tracks, security measures, access gates, other ancillary infrastructure, grid connection cable, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements
- Authority
- Thurrock Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Woolcock J
- Postcode
- SS17 9JW
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effects of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.
- The effects of the proposed development on heritage assets.
- Whether the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm resulting from the proposal, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal.
What decided it
The substantial weight attributable to the renewable energy generation, energy security and biodiversity/economic benefits clearly outweighed the Green Belt, landscape and heritage harm, establishing very special circumstances.
Substantial weight given to Green Belt harm, significant weight to character/appearance harm and slight weight to overall heritage harm were clearly outweighed by substantial weight given to renewable energy/energy security benefits together with moderate weight for biodiversity benefits and slight/moderate weight for economic benefits, so very special circumstances were found to exist.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy PMD6Policy CSSP4Policy CSTP23Policy PMD2Policy CSTP24Policy PMD4Policy CSTP27Policy PMD15Policy PMD9Policy PMD10Policy CSTP26Policy CSTP19Policy PMD7Policy PMD1Policy CSTP21
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 156Paragraph 180Paragraph 205Paragraph 208Paragraph 209Paragraph 157Paragraph 88Paragraph 163Paragraph 153
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
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What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Thurrock
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
- Allowed5 October 20266008794Milo, South Avenue, Langdon Hills, SS16 6JG
- Dismissed29 September 20266009919Land Rear of Ewen House, High Road, Fobbing, SS17 9JH
- Dismissed23 September 2026601022370 London Road,, Thurrock, Grays, RM17 5YB
- Allowed9 July 20266003807Former London Brigade Sports & Social Club, Purfleet Road, Aveley, Thurrock, RM15 4DT
- Dismissed8 June 20266005261The Laurels, Print Shop And Office Lower Dunton Road, Horndon On The Hill, SS17 8QD
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.