®Planning appeal decision
Halstead Hall, Braintree Road, HALSTEAD, CO9 1SL
‘outline application for the erection of 34 dwellings (including 24 market units and 10 social affordable units) with permission sought for access and layout’
- Authority
- Braintree District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Shearing C
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be in a suitable location with regard to the spatial strategy for the area
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, with particular regard to a) landscape impacts b) trees, and c) design
- Effects on ecology
- Whether the proposal would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupants, with particular regard to noise from the A131, outlook and quality of outdoor space
What decided it
The significant and long-lasting harm to potential veteran trees (irreplaceable habitats) and the likely significant harm to Great Crested Newts, which the Framework indicates should lead to refusal, outweighed the benefits of the scheme.
the benefits of housing delivery, including affordable housing and economic benefits (moderate weight), did not outweigh the very substantial weight given to harm to potential veteran trees and protected species and the moderate weight given to harm from conflict with the spatial strategy and landscape character, such that the proposal conflicted with the development plan as a whole
Framework references: 11
Plan policies cited: Policy SP3, Policy LPP1, Policy LPP42, Policy LPP67, Policy LPP65, Policy LPP52, Policy LPP64, Policy SP7, Policy LPP23, Policy SP1
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.