Phillips Farm, Highwood Road, Highwood, CM1 3PX

an outline application with all matters reserved for the development of 2 self build dwellings

Authority: Chelmsford City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning
Procedure: Written
Development: residential
Postcode: CM1 3PX

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies with particular regard to openness
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 site is not in a sustainable location as future occupants would be reliant on private cars to meet their day-to-day needs, failing criterion (c) of paragraph 155, and the limited benefits do not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to Green Belt openness required to be justified by very special circumstances.

the limited benefits of housing supply, economic benefits and biodiversity enhancements did not clearly outweigh the substantial weight given to Green Belt harm, such that very special circumstances were not established

Framework references: 142, 143, 153, 154, 155, 110, 115, 11

Plan policies cited: Policy S11, Policy DM6

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.