200-home development at Prentice Hall Lane, Tollesbury

“Outline Planning permission with access for consideration for a residential development of up to 200 dwellings (Use Class C3); with associated access; landscaping; amenity space; drainage and associated works.”

“The application site (hereon referred to as the “Site”) is an 18.06ha area of land located on the western side of Tollesbury, bounded by Prentice Hall Lane to the west, West Street to the North and open countryside to the south. The Tollesbury Recreation Ground is directly to the east and there is a cemetery within the northern area of the Site, which it wraps around.”

“The Site is outside the settlement boundary, comprising three fields within the open countryside and is currently in use as agricultural use.”

“An application (ref 23/00548/OUTM) seeking outline planning permission for up to 200 dwellings was submitted on 2 June 2023 and withdrawn on 12 March 2024.”

“An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening opinion request was submitted for the above application in which the Local Planning Authority (LPA)”

“The application seeks outline planning permission for up to 200 homes. The site is located in the countryside, beyond the settlement boundary of Tollesbury. It is therefore contrary to the spatial strategy of the Local Plan. The Council cannot currently demonstrate a Five-Year Housing Land Supply (5YHLS).”

“Officers have conducted an assessment of the benefits against the harms, as set out in the Planning Balance and Conclusion section of this committee report, finding that the harms would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the provision of 200 homes towards the Council’s inadequate 5YHLS taken cumulatively with the other benefits.”

“Prior to further debate the Chairperson reminded Members of the proposal to refuse this application made by Councillor U G C Siddall-Norman. At this point, and in response to a question from the Chairperson Councillor Siddall-Norman advised that they withdraw their proposal.”

“Then Councillor T Fittock proposed that the application be approved in line with Officers recommendation subject to the amendments to conditions as per the officer's verbal update, and an amendment to the recommendation to require refusal of the application if the s106 legal agreement was not signed within three months from the committee date. This was duly seconded and upon a vote being taken, agreed.”

“(ii) that should the Section 106 legal agreement not be completed within three months of the date of this District Planning Committee then the application be REFUSED under delegated powers, subject to the referral of the case to the Secretary of State for a period of at least 21 days, who may opt to call-in the decision as per the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2026.”

“SECTION 106 PLANNING OBLIGATIONS • Affordable Housing Scheme, including: • Provision of at least 40 per cent affordable housing • Tenure split of at least 80 per cent affordable rent, 20 per cent intermediate within this provision • Provision of at least 75 per cent social rent within the affordable rent portion. • A tenure layout plan, demonstrating acceptable clustering of affordable units and details of tenure type and unit size.”

“Allotment management procedure • Annual Travel Plan monitoring fee of £1,817 (index linked to April 2025) from first occupation until one year after final occupation • Bus service improvements (from Tollesbury and Tiptree to Witham) financial contribution of £600,000 • Education contributions including: • Early years childcare financial contribution of £368,100, index linked to Q1 2025 • Primary education financial contribution of £1,227,000, index linked to Q1 2025 • …”