Whites Farm, Barleylands Road, Basildon, Essex, SS15 4BC

Planning appeal 3332888 at Whites Farm, Barleylands Road, Basildon, Essex, SS15 4BC (Basildon District Council) was allowed on 10 June 2024 by Inspector Kean G, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the openness of the GB and the purposes of including land in it.

full planning application for proposed Battery Energy Storage Site, substation compound, with associated infrastructure, fencing, existing access off Barleylands Road, drainage and landscaping

Authority: Basildon District Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Hearing
Development: utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
Inspector: Kean G
Postcode: SS15 4BC

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the openness of the GB and the purposes of including land in it
the suitability of the proposed location
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 weight attaching to the climate change, energy security and grid connection benefits (amounting to very special circumstances) clearly outweighed the Green Belt harm.

The substantial harm from inappropriateness together with moderate harm to openness and landscape/visual character was clearly outweighed by very significant benefits (climate change, energy security, secured grid connection, biodiversity net gain and limited socio-economic benefits), amounting to very special circumstances justifying the development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy BAS GB1
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 5Paragraph 138Paragraph 143Paragraph 148Paragraph 152Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 156Paragraph 157Paragraph 174Paragraph 191

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 applied

The 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.

Appeals plan, £15 a month

With an account

What an account adds to this decision

An appeal decision in the app, with the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out beside the letter — Every letter, there to read. We pick out the main issues, the policies and the judgments cited, so you can work through the letter faster.

Searching the full text of appeal decision letters in the app — Search inside every letter. By words or by meaning, filtered by authority, outcome, appeal type and procedure, with every locatable decision on the map and the Inspector named on each.

Start your free trial

More decisions in Basildon Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024

Dismissed2 September 20266011137
17 Jersey Gardens, Wickford, SS11 7AG
Split Decision16 July 20263353645
Land West of Elizabeth Villa, Katherine Road, Bowers Gifford, Essex, SS13 2JX
Notice varied and upheld14 July 20263357480
The Hall, Church Road, Ramsden Bellhouse, Billericay, Essex, CM11 1RT
Allowed14 July 20263357389
The Hall, Church Road, Ramsden Bellhouse, Billericay, Essex, CM11 1RT
Notice varied and upheld7 July 20263348737
Land North of Studland Avenue, Wickford, Essex, SS12 0JP

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.