®Planning appeal decision
Land off Wicken Road , Newport , CB11 3PY
‘Outline application for the erection of up to 90 dwellings, including affordable housing, with land reserved for future community use, public open space, landscaping and sustainable drainage system (SuDS) and vehicular access point. All matters reserved except for means of access’
- Authority
- Uttlesford District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Chamberlain G
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the appeal scheme, with reference to the spatial strategy in the development plan
- The effect of the proposed development on 1) the character and appearance of the area, including the landscape; and 2) the significance of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, a Grade I listed building, through development in its setting
- If there is a conflict with the development plan taken as a whole, whether other considerations indicate the proposal should be determined otherwise than in accordance with it
What decided it
The significant harm to the character and appearance of the area from a denser 90-home scheme, when combined with heritage and other harms, was found to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the scheme's benefits under the tilted balance.
The very great weight of the benefits (up to 90 homes, 40% affordable housing, economic and sustainability benefits) was outweighed by the significant harm to landscape character and appearance together with less than substantial heritage harm to the Church and Conservation Area, loss of best and most versatile agricultural land, and conflict with emerging plans, such that adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits.
Framework references: 11, 14, 17, 18, 49, 50, 51, 116, 135, 139, 187, 215, 216
Plan policies cited: Policy S7, Policy NQRHA1, Policy NQRHA2, Policy NQRGSE3, Policy NQRHA3, Policy ENV3, Policy ENV2, Policy ENV1, Policy CP3, Policy CP2, Policy CP6, Policy NQR1, Policy NQR2
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.