Site At Brook Farm Riding Stables Stock Road Stock Ingatestone Essex

1. 1.Reason 1 The site is located within the Metropolitan Green Belt where National and local planning policies severely restrict new development and the construction of new buildings. Chapter 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework relates to protecting Green Belt land. It sets out the purposes of the Green Belt and the limited forms of development that may be considered appropriate. Strategic Policy S11 of the Chelmsford Local Plan states that the openness and permanence of the Green Belt will be protected. Inappropriate development will not be approved except in very special circumstances. Paragraph 155 of the NPPF states that the development of homes, commercial and other development in the Green Belt should not be regarded as inappropriate where: a.) The development would utilise grey belt land and would not fundamentally undermine the purposes (taken together) of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan; b.) There is a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed; c.) The development would be in a sustainable location. d.) Where applicable, the development proposed meets the 'Golden Rules' set out in paragraphs 156-157. For the purposes of decision-making, Grey Belt is defined as 'land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that, in either case, does not strongly contribute to any of purposes (a), (b), or (d) in paragraph 143. 'Grey belt' excludes land where the application of the policies relating to WEB PBCS090 25/01156/OUT REOUTZ the areas or assets in footnote 7 (other than Green Belt) would provide a strong reason for refusing or restricting development.' The application site strongly contributes to purpose (a) of paragraph 143 of the NPPF. It is free from the existing development and forms part of the wider open and undeveloped countryside. Furthermore, the site is near to the large built-up area of Billericay town. The site forms part of land that spatially and visually separates the defined limits of Billericay and the wider Green Belt. The proposal would represent fringe development that would contribute to urban sprawl of a large built-up area to the detriment of the Green Belt and in conflict with its purposes. The site is therefore not Grey Belt and does not constitute appropriate development under paragraph 155 of the NPPF. Furthermore, as a major development site in the context of the NPPF, it has not been demonstrated, with clear and robust evidence, that the proposal meets the corresponding requirements of paragraph 156 of the NPPF, in particular the provision of affordable housing and local green space. The development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Paragraph 153 of the NPPF states that inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances. There are no very special circumstances that outweigh the harm caused to the Green Belt. The development is therefore unacceptable in principle and conflicts with Chapter 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework and Strategic Policy S11 of the Chelmsford Local Plan. Reason 2 Paragraph 142 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence. Paragraph 153 of the NPPF states that when considering any planning application, local planning authorities should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt, including harm to its openness. Strategic Policy S11 of the Chelmsford Local Plan states that the openness and permanence of the Green Belt will be protected. The development would materially impact on the openness of the Green Belt through the presence of built form on what is currently an undeveloped and open site. Through the construction of eight new dwellings in addition to garages, an i

From the council's decision notice.

Application type

Outline

Scale / size

Small

Validated

24 October 2025

Consultation expiry

28 November 2025

Consultation end

28 November 2025

Target decision date

19 December 2025

Statutory period

56 days

Planning Portal ID

PP-14226429

Documents

13