Holmwood, Stapleford Road, Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1EJ

Planning appeal 3373367 at Holmwood, Stapleford Road, Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1EJ (Epping Forest District Council) was dismissed on 2 December 2025 by Inspector Walker C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies.

the erection of a detached garage for use ancillary to the main residential dwelling

Authority: Epping Forest District Council
Appeal type: householder · Householder (HAS)
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Householder developments
Inspector: Walker C
Postcode: RM4 1EJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
if inappropriate, 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 proposal

What decided it

Although the proposal did not constitute inappropriate Green Belt development, the demonstrable harm to the character and appearance of the area, combined with conflict with the development plan, outweighed any material considerations.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy DM4Policy DM9
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 154

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 applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Epping Forest District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

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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.