®Planning appeal decision
Land East of Chelmsford Road, Felsted, Dunmow, Essex, CM6 3ET
Planning appeal 3343021 at Land East of Chelmsford Road, Felsted, Dunmow, Essex, CM6 3ET (Uttlesford District Council) was dismissed on 14 January 2025 by Inspector Hughes L, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.
a mixed-use development comprising a relocated and improved village convenience store, incorporating a Post Office, together with area for farmers market, cafe, three first floor offices with dedicated parking facilities and multi-use overspill area. Together with nine dwellings comprising a 1 bedroom apartment, two 2 bedroom houses, two 3 bedroom apartments, two 4 bedroom semi-detached houses, one 4 bedroom detached house, and a 5 bedroom chalet style bungalow with dedicated 2m footpath routes
- Authority
- Uttlesford District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Hughes L
- Postcode
- CM6 3ET
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
- the need for the proposed development in this location, with specific regard to the convenience store element
What decided it
The substantial harm to character and appearance of the countryside, combined with the Framework paragraph 14 protection for the recently made Felsted Neighbourhood Plan, meant the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the housing and community facility benefits.
The moderate weight given to housing delivery and community facility benefits, and minor weight to parking, footpath, biodiversity and environmental benefits, were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the significant weight given to substantial harm to character and appearance, particularly in the context of Framework paragraph 14 protection for the recently made neighbourhood plan.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- LP Policy S7LP Policy GEN2FNP Policy FEL/HVC2FNP Policy FEL/HVC5FNP Policy FEL/ICH1FNP Policy FEL/ICH4FNP Policy FEL/HN5FNP Policy FEL/CW3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 14Paragraph 49Paragraph 82Paragraph 83Paragraph 129Paragraph 135Paragraph 187
- Judgments
- Holborn Studios Ltd v The Council of the London Borough of Hackney [2017] EWHC 2823 (Admin)
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
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.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Uttlesford District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Allowed4 September 20266008264Land to the West of The Cottage, Snakes Lane, Ugley Green, CM22 6HW
- Dismissed24 August 20266005461Chelmer House, Braintree Road, Great Dunmow, CM6 1HT
- Dismissed17 July 20266005499Land Adjacent Langford Drive, Palmers Lane, Chrishall, SG8 8DX
- Allowed19 March 20263370631Land off Bedwell Road, Elsenham, CM22 6JQ
- Dismissed12 March 20263373979Dunwell Chapel End, Broxted, Dunmow, CM6 2BW
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.