®Planning appeal decision
48 Alexandra Street, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS1 1BJ
Planning appeal 3350117 at 48 Alexandra Street, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS1 1BJ (Southend-on-Sea City Council) was dismissed on 23 January 2025 by Inspector Grierson E, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, the significance of the non-designated heritage asset, the Alexandra Street Frontage of Townscape Merit, the setting of the grade II listed Clifftown Church, and the setting of the Clifftown Conservation Area.
a part 4 and part 5 storey building comprising of 20 residential dwellings (Class C3) and 2 commercial units (Class E), layout bike and bin stores and associated landscaping
- Authority
- Southend-on-Sea City Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Grierson E
- Postcode
- SS1 1BJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, the significance of the non-designated heritage asset, the Alexandra Street Frontage of Townscape Merit, the setting of the grade II listed Clifftown Church, and the setting of the Clifftown Conservation Area
- the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupiers of the neighbouring dwellings with regard to light and outlook
- whether the proposed development would make an appropriate contribution to affordable housing, secondary education and transportation matters
What decided it
The substantial harm to character and appearance, heritage assets and neighbouring living conditions demonstrably outweighs the housing supply benefits, even in the context of a shortfall in five-year housing land supply.
The substantial harm to character and appearance, the significance of the non-designated heritage asset, the setting of the conservation area and the living conditions of neighbouring dwellings substantially outweighs the benefits of 20 dwellings on brownfield land and the contribution to housing supply, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy KP2Policy CP4Policy KP3Policy DM1Policy DM3Policy DM5Policy CP8
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 125Paragraph 216
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.