Planning appeal decision
6 Barn Mead, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM59SE
Planning appeal 6005318 at 6 Barn Mead, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM59SE (Epping Forest District Council) was dismissed on 1 May 2026 by Inspector Whitfield H, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the scheme constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to relevant development plan policies and the National Planning Policy Framework and the effect upon the openness and purposes of the Green Belt.
the change of use of Green Belt land to permeable access/turning area
- Authority
- Epping Forest District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- other · Change of use
- Inspector
- Whitfield H
- Postcode
- CM5 9SE
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the scheme constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to relevant development plan policies and the National Planning Policy Framework and the effect upon the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
- the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- if the scheme is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development
What decided it
The harm to Green Belt openness and purposes, combined with moderate harm to character and appearance, is not clearly outweighed by other considerations, and very special circumstances do not exist to justify inappropriate development.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP5Policy DM4Policy SP6Policy DM3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
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 appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in Epping Forest District Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Dismissed28 October 20266011400Larksmead Nursery, St Leonards Road, Nazeing, EN9 2HQ
- Allowed27 October 20266008413Sparks Farm, Nine Ashes Road, Nine Ashes, CM4 0JZ
- Dismissed26 October 20266008699Denver Lodge, Waltham Road, Nazeing, EN9 2EB
- Dismissed23 October 20266013055Millers Farm, Epping Road, Roydon, Harlow, CM19 5DD
- Dismissed21 October 20266010759Spains Hall, Spains Hall Road, Willingale, Ongar, CM5 0QE
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.
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