16/17 Victoria Road Chelmsford CM1 1NZ

1. 1.Reason 1 Paragraph 135 (a) of the NPPF states that planning decisions should ensure that developments will function well and add to the overall quality of the area. Paragraph 135 (c) of the NPPF states that planning decisions should ensure that developments amongst other matters, are sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and landscape setting. Paragraph 135 (d) of the NPPF states that planning decisions should ensure that developments, establish or maintain a strong sense of place, using the arrangement of streets, spaces, building types and materials to create attractive, welcoming and distinctive places to live, work and visit. Paragraph 139 of the NPPF states that planning permission should be refused for development that is not well designed. Chelmsford Local Plan Policy DM23 seeks high quality and inclusive design. This policy states that planning permission will be granted for development that respects the character and appearance of the area in which it is located. Development must be compatible with its surroundings having regard to scale, siting, form, architecture, materials, boundary treatments and landscape. The design of all new buildings and extensions must be of high quality, well proportioned, have visually coherent elevations, active elevations and create safe, accessible, and inclusive environments. Chelmsford Local Plan Policy DM24 reinforces that for major developments high-quality built form and urban design is required. This policy states that major development must respect the historic and natural environment, respond positively to local character and preserve and enhance the quality of existing WEB PBCS090 25/00006/OUT REOUTZ communities, exhibit architectural quality, provide well-connected places that prioritise sustainable travel, look to provide a mix of uses with well-defined public and private spaces, minimise energy consumption through site and building design, provide attractive and well-designed public realm, embed public art, provide inclusive streets and parking provision, provide open space, retain trees and other natural landscape features, and promote healthy living. Chelmsford Local Plan Policy DM28 sets considerations for tall buildings. Buildings above 5 storeys or 16m will be permitted in the city centre where the location is suitable for higher-intensity development in terms of immediate and wider context, the building reinforces surrounding scale and urban form, provides containment of space and has active frontages, the building contributes towards skyline and townscape, the building exhibits individual architectural quality, does not detract from historic environment, does not create adverse microclimate, enhances public realm, and is able to meet occupier requirements such as bin and plant storage without compromising quality of external elevations or roofscape. The scale range of this scheme is not acceptable. The scale range of the development as proposed is unacceptably divergent and incompatible with the prevailing contextual scale range of buildings, resulting in substantial harm to townscape, city centre legibility and local character. The proposed tall building would depart significantly from the local contextual scale range and the height guide set out in the Making Places SPD. This results in a scheme which is entirely incongruous to street character and harmful to the immediate and wider contexts. For these reasons, the proposal fails to comply with the requirements and place-making standards set out in Policies DM23, DM24 and DM28 of the Chelmsford Local Plan and Chapter 12 of the NPPF. Reason 2 Policy DM13 of the Chelmsford Local Plan relates to designated heritage assets. This states that the impact of any development proposal on the significance of a designated heritage asset or its setting, and the level of any harm, will be considered against any public benefits arising from the proposed development. Paragraph 212 o

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

CM1 1NZ

Application type

Outline

Scale / size

Medium

Number of dwellings

35

Validated

28 January 2025

Consultation expiry

28 February 2025

Consultation end

28 February 2025

Documents

5