®Planning appeal decision
Land to the West of Spring Gardens Road, Chappel , Colchester , Essex, CO6 2DW
Planning appeal 3350923 at Land to the West of Spring Gardens Road, Chappel , Colchester , Essex, CO6 2DW (Colchester Borough Council) was dismissed on 19 March 2025 by Inspector Smith D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location having regard to relevant development plan policies and the accessibility of services and facilities by sustainable transport.
for the erection of five dwellings
- Authority
- Colchester Borough Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Smith D
- Postcode
- CO6 2DW
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location having regard to relevant development plan policies and the accessibility of services and facilities by sustainable transport
- The effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
- The effect on the provision of community and sport and recreation facilities in Chappel and Wakes Colne
- The effect on the integrity of the Essex Coast habitats sites
What decided it
The proposal fails to accord with the development plan spatial strategy requiring countryside housing to be well-related to settlements, harms character and appearance, lacks secured mitigation for community facilities and habitats sites, and the housing supply benefit does not outweigh these objections.
The benefit of five additional dwellings and contribution to housing supply was outweighed by the unsuitability of the location in policy terms, harm to character and appearance, negative effect on community facilities, and adverse effect on habitats site integrity.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SG1Policy SP3Policy OV2Policy SP7Policy DM15Policy SG7Policy DM2Policy SP2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 84
- Judgments
- Braintree District Council v SSCLG, Greyread Ltd & Granville Developments [2018] EWCA Civ 610
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
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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.