1 Breewood Cottages, School Lane, Great Horkesley Colchester CO6 4BW Data via plota.co.uk

261322 - Certificate of Lawful Use - Proposed Approved

Proposal

Application for a lawful development certificate for a proposed convertion the existing roof space to provide an additional bedroom, dressing area and en-suite, accessed by a new staircase from the existing first floor. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
16 Jul 2026
✓
Approved
10 Sept 2026

Approved on 10 Sept 2026 · Last checked 5 Oct 2026

Site constraints 2

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.
National infrastructure project 30 m away: Norwich to Tilbury
The site is 30 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 ↗
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No listed building at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. 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.

Sales history 1

Last sold for £392,500 in December 2022. Other property, freehold.

9 December 2022£392,500Recorded as a transfer outside a standard sale

Sale prices from HM Land Registry's price paid record, matched to this application by its address.

Building

Floor area71 m² (764 sq ft)
Energy ratingE (54 out of 100), could reach B
PropertySemi-detached house, 4 habitable rooms
BuiltBefore 1900
HeatingBoiler and radiators, oil
WallsSolid brick, as built, no insulation (assumed)

From the energy performance certificate lodged in September 2022, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Council
Colchester
Application type
Certificate of Lawful Use - Proposed
Postcode
CO6 4BW
Received
16 Jul 2026
Validated
16 Jul 2026
Ward
Rural North
Parish
Great Horkesley
Case officer
Show
Target decision
10 Sept 2026
Decision
Approve Certificate of Lawful Use or Development
Decision date
10 Sept 2026
Applicant
Show
Agent
David Farrow

How this decision compares

Decided in 56 days from validation, about the council's usual 56 days. Approved, as 84% of extensions here are.

66%decided within 8 weeks
84%approved
437decided in the last year

Plota live figures for extensions decided by Colchester in the last twelve months, from validation. Colchester decision record →

Colchester
Planning Authority Score
6.2/10
Average
#91 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Colchester is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #43 out of 296. Only 27% of applications have the time limit extended, well below the 41% national average - the council usually decides on time. Colchester is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 84% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 84% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Colchester decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
82%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #245 of 296
84%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #255 of 296
79%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #43 of 296
27%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #39 of 296
67%
Minor dwellings approved
69 decided (1-9 homes)
85%
Major dwellings approved
13 decided (10+ homes)
75%
Change of use approved
89 decided
1,074
Total decisions
188 refused in the year to March 2026

Sale prices: Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.