Land Between 21 And 31 Seven Ash Green Chelmsford Essex

1. 1.Reason 1 Para 174 b) of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. Chelmsford Local Plan Policy S1 sets out the spatial principles within the Local Plan and identifies that the Council will require all new development to accord with the stated spatial principles. This includes a requirement to "respect the character and appearance of landscapes and the built environment and preserve or enhance the historic environment and biodiversity". Policy S11 states that when determining planning applications, the Council will carefully balance the requirement for new development within the countryside to meet identified development needs in accordance with the Spatial Strategy, and to support thriving rural communities whilst ensuring that development does not have an adverse impact on the different roles and character of the countryside. This application site falls within the Local Plan designations of Green Wedge and Rural Area. Part B of Policy S11 specifically relates to the Green Wedge: "The Green Wedge has an identified intrinsic character and beauty and is a multi-faceted distinctive landscape providing important open green networks, which have been instrumental in shaping the City's growth, character and appearance. These networks prevent urban sprawl and settlement coalescence and provide for wildlife, flood storage capacity, leisure and recreation, and travel by cycling and walking, which allows for good public access which will be further improved through the requirements of development allocated in the Local Plan. Development which materially harms the role, function and intrinsic character and beauty of the Green Wedge will not be approved." Part C of this policy specifically relates to the Rural Area: WEB PBCS090 26/00154/PIP REFULZ "The countryside outside of the Urban Areas and Defined Settlements, not within the Green Belt, is designated as the Rural Area. The intrinsic character and beauty of the Rural Area outside of the Green Belt, and not designated as the Green Wedge, will be recognised, assessed and development will be permitted where it would not adversely impact on its identified character and beauty." Policy DM7 relates to new buildings and structures in the Green Wedge; it specifies that planning permission will be granted for new buildings and structures where the development does not conflict with the purposes of the green wedge and is it for one of a stated form of development. Policy DM8 similarly states that planning permission will be granted for new buildings where the development will not adversely impact on the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and where the development is for one of a stated form of development set out in the policy. The construction of new market dwellings is not one of the forms of development set out in Policies DM7 and DM8 and the proposal is therefore contrary to the requirements of these policies. The site is visibly part of the wider, undeveloped land and open space forming the Green Wedge and Rural Area. The residential development of the site would permanently erode the Green Wedge and the rural character, resulting in the loss of the undeveloped land, not only through the removal of the parcel of land from the open character of the landscape, but also by the introduction of a significant amount of built form, hardsurfacing, parking, manicured gardens and domestic paraphernalia in its place. The proposal would have a harmful impact on the character of the Green Wedge and Rural Area and does not comply with the objectives of the NPPF and Local Plan Policies S1, S11, DM7 and DM8. Reason 2 The site is designated as Open Space in the Chelmsford Local Plan. Para 104 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that : "Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings a

From the council's decision notice.

Application type

Outline

Scale / size

Small

Validated

5 February 2026

Consultation expiry

27 February 2026

Consultation end

27 February 2026

Target decision date

12 March 2026

Statutory period

35 days

Documents

7