Residential Development in Thundersley, Essex

This project involved development proposals for outline planning consent for up to 47 dwellings on a previously allocated site in an area of Green Belt between Thundersley and Hadleigh in Castle Point Borough in Essex. We worked very closely with the architects, BBR Design Ltd, to present indicative proposals for the site that would bring forward much needed market and affordable housing in a highly sustainable location at the edge of the town of Thundersley.

Whilst the site is located in the Green Belt, it had previously been allocated for housing in an earlier iteration of a new local plan for the area which the Council withdrew before it could be adopted. Accordingly, it had previously been shown as a land parcel that made a weak contribution to the function of the Green Belt in this location. Notwithstanding, whilst the application had support from officers, the application was refused by the Council and it was necessary for the case to be determined by the Planning Inspectorate.

Ultimately, with the collaboration of the legal team at Thrings LLP, the appeal inspector accepted our arguments that the site met the definition of grey belt land and that the proposed development would not be inappropriate development in the Green Belt as it met compliance with the requirements of paragraph 155 of the Framework. Accordingly, subject to conditions and the terms of a Section 106 legal agreement, the appeal was allowed, and planning permission granted.

In addition to BBR Design Ltd and Thrings LLP, other members of the design and consultancy team included Open Spaces, Infrastruct CS Ltd, Brown to Green Associates Ltd, and TTP Consulting.