Obournes Farm, Upper Howe Street, Finchingfield, Essex, CM7 4PH

Planning appeal 6004311 at Obournes Farm, Upper Howe Street, Finchingfield, Essex, CM7 4PH (Braintree District Council) was dismissed on 20 April 2026 by Inspector Gilbert-Wooldridge T, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed development would be appropriately located having regard to the character and appearance of the area, the accessibility of services and facilities, the development plan, and any material considerations.

demolition of existing agricultural buildings and erection of four detached dwellings with associated access, parking, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements

Authority: Braintree District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Gilbert-Wooldridge T
Postcode: CM7 4PH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposed development would be appropriately located having regard to the character and appearance of the area, the accessibility of services and facilities, the development plan, and any material considerations

What decided it

The proposed development would cause unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the rural area and would not provide acceptable access to services and facilities, and would be worse than the fallback position of converting the existing buildings under prior approval.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy LPP1Policy SP7Policy LPP35Policy LPP52Policy LPP67Policy LPP42
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 131Paragraph 135Paragraph 139Paragraph 110

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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6 other decided appeals within two kilometres of this site. In the app every dot opens its decision, and its letter wherever one was published, and you can draw your own site to see what has been decided around it.AllowedDismissedSplitThis decision

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More decisions in Braintree District Council

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

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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.