Cressing Farm Witham Road Cressing Essex CM77 8PD Data via plota.co.uk

Pending Consideration 26/00434/OHLS37
Date received
around 25 Feb 2026
Date validated
25 Feb 2026
Postcode
CM77 8PD

Description

Installation of 1 no. H-Pole structure and associated overhead line to support the installation of a solar farm Data via plota.co.uk

Last checked

Decision outlook

Plota predicted a decision around 9 Oct 2026; it is now day 226.

Day 226, past the statutory target. 81% of full applications in Braintree are decided within thirteen weeks; extensions of time are common, and the council need not decide on the day. Last seen undecided on 24 Aug 2026.

Day 226170 days past the 56-day target
56%decided within 8 weeks
87%approved
96,673decided in the last year

Plota live figures for full applications decided across the UK in the last twelve months, from validation; too few recent full applications in Braintree to go on. Braintree decision record →

Site constraints 5

Scheduled monument about 3 m away: Cressing Temple
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Nationally important archaeology protected by the Secretary of State. Work that affects the monument or its setting is rarely permitted.
Historic England ↗
Agricultural land, grade 3a
Best and most versatile land (grades 1, 2 and 3a). Source: the Predictive Agricultural Land Classification Map (Defra and Natural England, 2025; the Welsh Government's Predictive ALC Map 2 in Wales), a model rather than a site survey. Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s), which most planning maps still show, had this area as grade 2. The predicted grade is Defra's current estimate; only a site survey settles it.
Where development of farmland is needed, policy prefers poorer land over the best and most versatile (grades 1, 2 and 3a). Three sources: Natural England's post-1988 field surveys, which are definitive where they exist; the Defra predictive map for England (2025) and the Welsh Government predictive map, modelled from the soil map with 3a and 3b split; and the 1970s provisional map, which planners and other services still show, coarser and with grade 3 undivided. Where the provisional and predicted grades disagree, treat the predicted grade as the current estimate and expect an application to carry its own survey.
Public footpath about 21 m away
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site: obstructing a path without a diversion order is an offence, and work cannot start until the order is confirmed.
Compiled from highway authority data, not the legal definitive map. A few authorities have not published, so no path shown is not proof there is none.
National infrastructure project about 279 m away: Norwich to Tilbury
The site is about 279 m from the project boundary. Electricity line, examination closed, recommendation due.
Nationally significant infrastructure projects (power stations, electricity lines, pipelines, major roads and railways, harbours, airports and reservoirs) are consented by a Secretary of State under the Planning Act 2008, after an examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than by the council. The boundary is the one the Inspectorate consults on and can change as the scheme does. Projects are shown within 2 km of the site.
Planning Inspectorate project page ↗
4 listed buildings within 150 m of the postcode pin
Nearest: Waggon Lodge Approximately 40 Metres South of Cressing Temple Farmhouse, Grade II, about 53 m from the postcode pin · 1 Grade II*, 3 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 4 with distances
Historic England ↗
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt

Checked on 6 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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About Plota's data service
Braintree
Planning Authority Score
7/10
Good
#61 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Braintree is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #47 out of 296. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (92%) than the national average (90%).

Faster than most councils
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Braintree decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
86%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #189 of 296
92%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #148 of 296
78%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #47 of 296
33%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #71 of 296
62%
Minor dwellings approved
119 decided (1-9 homes)
87%
Major dwellings approved
15 decided (10+ homes)
91%
Change of use approved
11 decided
927
Total decisions
132 refused in the year to March 2026