Southend Road, Fobbing, Stanford Le Hope, SS17 9EY

Planning appeal 6001779 at Southend Road, Fobbing, Stanford Le Hope, SS17 9EY (Thurrock Borough Council) was dismissed on 13 February 2026 by Inspector Smith J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies.

change of use of vacant agricultural land to equestrian facilities

Authority: Thurrock Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: leisure-sport · Change of use
Inspector: Smith J
Postcode: SS17 9EY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

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

The substantial weight given to harm to Green Belt openness and harm to highway safety was not clearly outweighed by the modest benefits proposed, so very special circumstances did not exist to justify the development.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy CSSP4Policy PMD6Policy PMD9Policy PMD2
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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Thurrock

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

Allowed5 October 20266008794
Milo, South Avenue, Langdon Hills, SS16 6JG
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Allowed9 July 20266003807
Former London Brigade Sports & Social Club, Purfleet Road, Aveley, Thurrock, RM15 4DT
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Dismissed5 June 20266004979
The Eves, Malvina Close, Horndon On The Hill, SS17 8QG

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.