Up to 30 homes at Land Rear Of 311 Pound Lane, Bowers Gifford, Basildon

The site and surroundings

The 1.42-hectare site is an open parcel with boundary trees, surrounded mainly by bungalows and detached chalet-style homes, and lies in the Green Belt.

“The application site comprises an area of land, approximately 1.42 hectares. The site is located to the west of Pound Lane, north of Grange Road, and south Cat Tree Lane in Bowers Gifford. The site comprises an open parcel of land with trees along the boundaries.”

“The surrounding area is characterised by bungalows, and detached chalet-style dwellings to the south, east, and west. To the north are some commercial units. The site is located within North Benfleet Plotlands and the Green Belt, as defined on the Adopted Local Plan Proposals Map. The site falls within the zone of influence for the Essex Coastal RAMS project.”

Officer report

Planning history

The application site has no relevant planning history.

“The application site has no relevant planning history.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because they considered the site grey belt land, the proposal policy-compliant, and its benefits greater than its identified harms.

“Officers have had regard to the above considerations, and notwithstanding the Green Belt Study as the Council’s most up-to-date evidence base and attach significant weight to it. However, that Study assesses the contribution of the wider BA18 parcel rather than the application site in isolation.”

“Therefore, in conclusion, Officers consider that the application site constitutes grey belt land for the purposes of the NPPF and that the proposed development would utilise grey belt land as defined in the NPPF, would not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt across the plan area.”

Officer report

Who spoke

Two parish councillors questioned the relationship with the wider Plotlands site and NDO, while the agent supported the application and addressed connectivity.

Members’ debate

Officers said the site was within housing allocation H19, met the revised sustainable-location test, and would need a biodiversity gain plan by condition.

“In response to questions, officers clarified that the site was within H19 which could accommodate 275-300 dwellings and met the definition of a “sustainable location” per the revised NPPF. Submission of a BNG plan was required by condition.”

“Further detail in response to the questions raised by the parish councillors could be presented to a forthcoming meeting of the committee.”

Minutes

The votes

Members voted three to four against the officer recommendation, with no abstentions, and were minded to overturn it.

“The Committee voted on the officer’s recommendation and was minded to overturn it.”

“VOTING – For: 3, Against: 4, Abstained: 0:”

Minutes

Why it was returned

Members identified Green Belt harm and then returned the application to a future meeting so further material information about the NDO could be considered.

“The proposed development constituted inappropriate development within the Green Belt. The development would result in substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt and conflict with the purposes of including land within the Green Belt. The Local Planning Authority was not satisfied that the benefits of the scheme clearly outweighed the harm to the Green Belt and other harm identified so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development.”

“Whilst Members were minded to refuse the application on Green Belt grounds, Members considered that further information relating to the North Benfleet Plotlands Neighbourhood Development Order was material to the determination of the application and had not been available at the time of consideration.”

Minutes