Two Gypsy/Traveller pitches at Former Pet Cemetery, Waltham Abbey

What was proposed

The application sought two Gypsy/Traveller pitches, each with a static home and touring caravan, plus hardstanding, parking, an amenity building and driveway.

“Description of Proposal Planning permission is sought for the material change of use of land, an area of approximately 0.36 hectares edged in red, to use as a residential caravan site for two x Gypsy / Traveller pitches. Each pitch would accommodate a static mobile home and a tourer. The development proposal would also include an area of hardstanding, parking spaces, boundary treatment, an amenity building and the construction of shared driveway.”

“The amenity building will measure approximately 12.5 metres wide, 6 metres deep with a ridge height of 4 metres. The building will be subdivided into two and each half will provide an open plan kitchen / dining area and a bathroom for the future occupiers of the site.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site is in the Metropolitan Green Belt, within a former pet cemetery, beside kennels and homes, and slopes down towards the south.

“Site and Surroundings The application site is located within the Metropolitan Green Belt. The site, edged in red, lies to the southeastern corner of a wider site edged in blue which is also in the Applicant’s ownership. The site is directly to the rear and shares its site boundaries with Kennels (dog homing kennels) to the east and with No. 5 and 6 Claverhambury Road to the south and forms part of the wider site which is a former pet cemetery.”

“The site gradient is high to the north and slopes towards the south. Towards the southern part of the site are remnants of building materials and hardcore.”

Officer report

Why officers recommended approval

Officers considered the unmet need for pitches outweighed Green Belt harm, with conditions and a legal agreement addressing amenity, ecology and EFSAC impacts.

“Planning Balance and Conclusion There is currently a shortfall of Gypsy / Traveller pitches in the District. The proposal would deliver two mobile homes on a small site which would help to boost the supply of pitches. Whilst the development proposal would result in harm to the Green Belt, by reason of inappropriate development and the adverse impact on its openness, given the unmet need for pitch provision within this District this outweighs this harm.”

“The development is therefore in compliance with the policies contained within the adopted Local Plan (2023) as the provision of two Gypsy / Traveller pitches would address the Council’s unmet need for the District.”

Officer report

What consultees and residents said

Five neighbours objected on several grounds, while the town council objected because it considered the proposal outside the local plan and in the Green Belt.

“Inappropriate development in the Green Belt • Contamination of land • Flooding, surface water and foul drainage issues • No water supply, no electricity, drainage and water connections • Impact on existing trees • Have the pet owner’s been notified – there are environmental, ethical, and emotional concerns • Impact on rural road that is not built for heavy vehicles or frequent traffic • Impact on the health of existing residents • Impact on the Epping Forest Special Area…”

“Waltham Abbey Town Council objects to the development proposal as Members states that this is outside of the local plan and raised concerns as this is a greenbelt area.”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

The committee heard from the planning officer, an objector, the ward councillor and two other councillors.

What members discussed

Members raised concerns about visual impact, Green Belt land, possible contamination, missing amenities and potential damage to the EFSAC.

“The Committee discussed the planning merits of the application but had several concerns in relation to the visual impact of the proposal, that the site was on green belt land, the possibility of land contamination from its former use, lack of amenities and potential damage to the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (EFSAC).”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee refused the application after the motion to approve was not carried.

“The vote to approve the application was not carried. Councillor T Matthews proposed that the application be refused on the reasons detailed below, which was seconded by Councillor R Bassett. The committee voted to refuse the application.”

“The Committee voted to REFUSE the application on the following reasons.”

Minutes

Reasons for refusal

The committee cited excessive Green Belt and visual harm, contamination risks, inadequate basic utilities and insufficient information about effects on the EFSAC.

“The development proposed would fail to preserve the openness of the site and result in excessive harm to the Green Belt thus conflicting with the purposes of containing land within it. No very special circumstances have been advanced to clearly outweigh these harms to the Green Belt and the other harms identified. Furthermore, the development proposed would cause visual harm to the character and appearance of the area.”

“The planning application does not provide sufficient information to satisfy the Council, as competent authority, that the proposed development will not adversely affect the integrity of the Epping Forest Special Area for Conservation (the “EFSAC”).”

Minutes