®Planning appeal decision
Whites Farm, Barleylands Road, Basildon, Essex, SS15 4BC
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
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.
Framework references: 5, 138, 143, 148, 152, 153, 154, 156, 157, 174, 191
Plan policies cited: Policy BAS GB1
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.