Lignacite Limited, Meadgate Works Meadgate Road, Nazeing, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2PD

Planning appeal 3364075 at Lignacite Limited, Meadgate Works Meadgate Road, Nazeing, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2PD (Epping Forest District Council) was allowed on 29 September 2025 by Inspector Philpott M, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The main issue is whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the green belt with reference to paragraph 155 of the Framework and principally in respect of: (i) whether the development would utilise grey belt land, having particular regard to if it would affect the integrity of the EFSAC by way of air pollution from vehicles; and (ii) whether there is a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed.

Installation of hardstanding for use of land immediately to the east of Meadgate Works for a mix of Class B2 (general industrial) and Class B8 (storage and distribution) use with associated hard and soft landscaping; new planting and other soft landscaping on land immediately to the north of Meadgate Works; and the provision of a new north- south pedestrian/bicycle route to the east of the North Lagoon

Authority: Epping Forest District Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: employment-industrial · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
Inspector: Philpott M
Postcode: EN9 2PD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The main issue is whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the green belt with reference to paragraph 155 of the Framework and principally in respect of: (i) whether the development would utilise grey belt land, having particular regard to if it would affect the integrity of the EFSAC by way of air pollution from vehicles; and (ii) whether there is a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed.

What decided it

The proposal satisfied the paragraph 155 exception to inappropriate development in the green belt, as it would utilise grey belt land and there was a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: DM2DM22DM4T1DM20SP1E1E1A
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 56Paragraph 57Paragraph 61Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 143Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
Judgments: Abbotskerswell Parish Council v SSHCLG [2021] EWHC 555 (Admin); People Over Wind, Peter Sweetman v Coillte Teoranta, 12 April 2018, C-323/17

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.

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The decision letter

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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.