Planning appeal decision
Blackheath Bulb Co, Rookery Nook, Nayland Road, Colchester, CO6 3DE
Planning appeal 3346609 at Blackheath Bulb Co, Rookery Nook, Nayland Road, Colchester, CO6 3DE (Colchester Borough Council) was dismissed on 28 February 2025 by Inspector Dade E, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed developments on the character and appearance of the area.
replacement of three agricultural buildings with three dwellings
- Authority
- Colchester Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Dade E
- Postcode
- CO6 3DE
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed developments on the character and appearance of the area
- The effect of the proposed developments on the setting of listed building, Rookery Farm
- Whether the proposed developments would provide suitable living conditions for future occupants, with particular regard to privacy
- Whether the proposal would achieve a net gain in biodiversity (Appeal B only)
What decided it
Both appeals conflict with the development plan on character and appearance grounds, with Appeal A additionally failing on living conditions and Appeal B additionally failing on biodiversity net gain requirements.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP7 of the North Essex Authorities' Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan 2021Policy DM15 of the Colchester Borough Local Plan 2022Policy DM16 of the Colchester Borough Local Plan 2022Policy DM12 of the Colchester Borough Local Plan 2022Policy ENV1 of the Colchester Borough Local Plan 2022
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 Colchester City Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed19 October 20266009296Land West of Priory Road, Tiptree, Colchester, CO5 0QE
- Allowed8 October 20266009395Land North of Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, Colchester, CO6 1LT
- Dismissed2 October 202660050147 East Mersea Road, West Mersea, CO5 8SL
- Dismissed2 October 202660050117 East Mersea Road, West Mersea, CO5 8SL
- Allowed24 September 20266009382Land at Colchester Rd, Colchester, CO6 3JX
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.
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