®Planning appeal decision
Marles Stud. Epping Road, Epping Upland, Epping, Essex, CM16 6PF
Planning appeal 3360270 at Marles Stud. Epping Road, Epping Upland, Epping, Essex, CM16 6PF (Epping Forest District Council) was dismissed on 19 September 2025 by Inspector Smith J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the dwellings as built are inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies.
‘Retrospective application for the erection of 3x dwellings in replacement of approved conversion under EPF/1296/22’
- Authority
- Epping Forest District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Smith J
- Postcode
- CM16 6PF
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the dwellings as built are inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies
- the effect on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development
What decided it
The substantial weight required to be given to harm to Green Belt openness and the Green Belt purpose of safeguarding the countryside from encroachment is not clearly outweighed by the other considerations in favour of the development.
The benefits of good design quality, housing supply, and preservation of the listed building setting do not clearly outweigh the substantial weight given to moderate harm to Green Belt openness in spatial terms and limited conflict with the Green Belt purpose of safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP5Policy DM4Policy DM9Policy DM2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 11dParagraph 11diParagraph 78Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 154dParagraph 154gParagraph 155
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 Epping Forest District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed28 October 20266011400Larksmead Nursery, St Leonards Road, Nazeing, EN9 2HQ
- Allowed27 October 20266008413Sparks Farm, Nine Ashes Road, Nine Ashes, CM4 0JZ
- Dismissed26 October 20266008699Denver Lodge, Waltham Road, Nazeing, EN9 2EB
- Dismissed23 October 20266013055Millers Farm, Epping Road, Roydon, Harlow, CM19 5DD
- Dismissed21 October 20266010759Spains Hall, Spains Hall Road, Willingale, Ongar, CM5 0QE
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.