®Planning appeal decision
Land For Development, Muckingford Road, Linford, Essex, SS17 0RR
application for outline planning permission with some matters (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) reserved: Proposed development of up to 830 dwellings (Use Class C3) if the Lower Thames Crossing is constructed (scenario 1) and up to 1000 dwellings (Use Class C3) if the Lower Thames Crossing does not proceed (scenario 2), a new local road network including a vehicular / pedestrian railway crossing, a primary school, local centre and new areas of open space, including formal recreation
- Authority
- Thurrock Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and its purposes
- whether the appeal proposal would provide appropriate living conditions for future occupiers, regarding noise
- the effect of the appeal scheme upon the operation of an existing business (being EMR)
- whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations amounting to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The very substantial weight attributable to the delivery of market and affordable housing in an area with an extremely poor housing land supply record, combined with other benefits, clearly outweighed the substantial Green Belt harm and established the very special circumstances needed to justify the development.
Substantial weight attributed to Green Belt harm (inappropriateness, loss of openness and harm to purposes) was clearly outweighed by very substantial weight to housing delivery, significant weight to the rail bridge, and moderate weight to biodiversity, primary school provision, recreational facilities and economic impacts, amounting to the very special circumstances required to justify the grant of planning permission.
Framework references: 134, 152, 153, 154, 193
Plan policies cited: PMD6, PMD1, CSSP2, CSTP2
Judgments cited: Coventry v Lawrence [2014] UKSC 13
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.