Bois Hall Barns Dudbrook Road Navestock Essex

1. 1.U0069971 The proposal exceeds the scope of development permitted by Class Q and fails to demonstrate compliance with its limitations. The proposed parking requires the construction of new hardstanding on grassed land, which falls outside the operations authorised by Class Q. Furthermore, the stated residential floorspace totals 1,000 square metres but excludes the additional covered communal circulation, refuse and cycle storage areas, without a substantiated justification. The submission also fails to demonstrate that all land changing to residential use, including communal parking and circulation areas, falls within the permitted curtilage. Finally, notwithstanding the statements of agreement within the application, the agricultural landlord has not been clearly identified and their express consent has not been sufficiently evidenced. Therefore, the proposal fails to comply with Class Q(c), read with paragraph Q.1(j), and insufficient information has been submitted to establish compliance with Class Q(a), read with paragraphs Q.1(d)(ii), Q.1(e) and Q.3(1), of Schedule 2, Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended). The application is refused under paragraphs W(3)(a) and W(3)(b).
2. 2.U0069972 Even if the proposal were found to satisfy the scope and limitations of Class Q addressed in reason 1, prior approval would be required and would be refused for the following reasons. The repeated domestic openings, subdivision, gardens, boundaries and associated parking would erode the building's agricultural character and harm the significance of Grade II listed Bois Hall through development within its setting. Having given substantial weight to the conservation of the heritage asset and to the housing contribution, the identified public benefits would not outweigh the less than substantial heritage harm. In addition, the submitted layout and supporting information fail to demonstrate adequate natural light to all habitable rooms, particularly the mezzanine bedrooms facing the covered central circulation area. The absence of an initial contamination assessment also prevents the Local Planning Authority from establishing whether risks arising from the site's agricultural use can be acceptably addressed to make the site suitable for residential occupation. Furthermore, if the parking land and associated hardstanding works identified in reason 1 are excluded from the proposal, no satisfactory alternative arrangements have been demonstrated to accommodate suitable parking for the dwellings. Accordingly, on that alternative basis, prior approval would be refused under paragraphs Q.2(1)(a), (c), (e), (f) and (g) of Schedule 2, Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended), having regard to paragraphs W(2A), W(10)(b) and W(10)(c) and the relevant national decision-making policies of the National Planning Policy Framework.

From the council's decision notice.

Parish

Navestock

Date validated

31 July 2026

Applicant

Private applicant

Case officer

Mr Daryl Cook

Documents

28