®Planning appeal decision
Land East of Ilfracombe Avenue, SS13 2DT, Bowers Gifford
Planning appeal 3328758 at Land East of Ilfracombe Avenue, SS13 2DT, Bowers Gifford (Basildon District Council) was allowed on 16 February 2024 by Inspector Simpson L, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within it.
Outline planning application for a new 70 bed care home, 42 assisted living units and 13 retirement bungalows/villas (all Use Class C2), together with vehicular access onto Ilfracombe Avenue, a new school parking area for parents and pupils of St. Margaret’s C of E Primary School, new nature area, landscaping and communal facilities including a Day Care Centre and cinema room. All matters reserved except for access
- Authority
- Basildon District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Simpson L
- Postcode
- SS13 2DT
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within it.
- Whether the harm to the Green Belt 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 extensive housing land supply and specialist elderly accommodation benefits clearly outweighed the identified Green Belt harm, establishing the very special circumstances needed to justify the inappropriate development.
the substantial harm to the Green Belt was clearly outweighed by the extensive and wide-ranging benefits (principally housing land supply and specialist accommodation need), amounting to very special circumstances, and the adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under the Framework taken as a whole
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy BAS GB1Policy BAS BE12Policy BAS S5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 57Paragraph 66Paragraph 142Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 154
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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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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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.