®Planning appeal decision
Woodview Cottage, Green Lane, Althorne, Chelmsford, CM3 6BH
Planning appeal 3349786 at Woodview Cottage, Green Lane, Althorne, Chelmsford, CM3 6BH (Maldon District Council) was allowed on 10 April 2025 by Inspector Bowyer J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether or not the development would be in a suitable location having regard to relevant development plan policies and future occupiers' access to services, facilities and sustainable transport modes.
‘removal of permanent caravan, existing garage and construction of a new dwelling’
- Authority
- Maldon District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Bowyer J
- Postcode
- CM3 6BH
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether or not the development would be in a suitable location having regard to relevant development plan policies and future occupiers' access to services, facilities and sustainable transport modes
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The absence of a 5-year housing supply and the resulting presumption in favour of sustainable development meant that the modest harm from locating a single dwelling in an unsustainable location was outweighed by the significant benefit of housing delivery and support for rural community vitality.
The conflict with development plan policies on location and sustainable transport was afforded limited weight; the delivery of housing to address the significant supply shortfall was afforded significant weight; support for rural services was afforded moderate weight; and biodiversity enhancement was afforded limited weight. The cumulative benefits outweighed the modest adverse impacts when assessed against Framework policies taken as a whole.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy S8Policy S1Policy D1Policy T1Policy T2Policy H4Policy D5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
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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.