Read this week's roundup of the key planning applications in the Maldon District, received or decided on by the Council.

Applications received

1. Land off Head Street, Goldhanger

New residential development comprising the construction of 25 new dwellings together with new vehicular and pedestrian accesses from Head Street, car parking, amenity space and associated development.

2. Hallfield Gate, Barnhall Road, Tolleshunt Knights CM9 8HE

Demolish existing dwelling with a replacement four-bedroomed dwelling and separate annexe along with external landscaping, new lake, BBQ outbuilding and solar panels.

3. Rathscar, 1 North Street, Tillingham CM0 7TR

T1 Yew - Remove epicormic growth & crown reduction by 1m. T2 Holly - Lateral reduction by 1m, height reduction by 0.5m. T3 Laurel - Height reduction by 4m, lateral reduction by 2.5m on west side & 1m on road-side, remove deadwood. T4 Laurel - Crown reduction by 1.5m, crown lift by 2m to give 3m clearance. T5 Cherry - Reduce by 2m, using previous cut points where possible. T6 Laurel - Fell. T7 Silver Birch - Height reduction by 5m. T8 Eucalyptus - Height reduction by 5m, crown lift by 2.5m to give 4m ground clearance.

4. Heath Cottage, Old Heath Road, Southminster CM0 7BN

Single storey rear extension, repositioning of porch and alterations to existing dormers on main dwelling house and erect detached garage with room above.

Applications approved

1. Land to rear of Springwood, Rectory Lane, Latchingdon

Revised application for the erection of five detached three-bedroomed bungalows with associated access, parking and landscaping, together with ancillary works.

2. Plots 81 to 84, Smugglers Club Ground, Bridgemarsh Lane, Althorne CM3 6DQ

Claim for lawful development certificate for use of the dwelling house in breach of condition 2 of planning permission reference MAR/634/73.

3. The Hay Barn, 3 Wycke Court, Maldon CM9 6FS

Garage conversion, one and a half storey and two storey extension to side.

4. 1 St Giles Close, Maldon CM9 6HU

Section 73A application for a side extension.

Applications refused

1. Land at Tudor Cottage, 22 High Street, Bradwell-on-Sea

An application for two detached three-bedroom bungalows.

Reasons for refusal:

1. The application site lies within a rural location outside the defined settlement boundaries where policies of restraint apply. The Council can demonstrate a five-year housing land supply to accord with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, the site has not been identified by the Council for development to meet future needs for the District and does not fall within either a Garden Suburb or Strategic Allocation for Growth identified within the Maldon District Local Development Plan to meet the objectively assessed needs for housing in the District. The application site, by reason of its location and means of access, would provide poor quality and limited access to sustainable and public means of transportation, resulting in the occupiers of the site being overly reliant on private means of transport. The limited benefits of the proposal do not outweigh the harm which would be caused, and the proposal would therefore not amount to sustainable development and be contrary to policies S1, S8, D1, T2 and H4 of the approved Maldon District Local Development Plan and the guidance contained within the NPPF.
2. As a result of the proposed layout of the site along with the form and design of the dwellings proposed, the development would be out-of-keeping with its surroundings to the detriment of the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding area, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework and Policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan.
3. In the absence of a completed legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the necessary financial contribution towards Essex Coast Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy has not been secured. As a result, the development would have an adverse impact on the European designated nature conservation sites, contrary to Policies S1, D1, N1 and N2 of the Maldon District Approved Local Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

2. Land south of White Gates, School Road, Little Totham

Construction of a detached dwelling with associated car parking, an access to the property and landscaping.

Reasons for refusal:

The site is located outside of a defined settlement boundary, where policy constraints apply. The site is not safely linked to a settlement, and future occupants would be required to travel by car to access day to day services, facilities and employment opportunities. The site is considered to be rural, remote, and inaccessible, and the principle of development has been found to be unacceptable. The proposal has been found to be contrary to Policies S1, S2, S8, D1, D2, H4, N1, N2, T1 and T2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017), and the policies and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The site is considered to make a positive contribution to the rural character and appearance of the area. The proposal would introduce residential development with associated domestic paraphernalia, that would urbanise the site, eroding, and materially altering, its rural character. The proposal has been found to be contrary to Policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017), the Maldon District Design Guide (2017), and the policies and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The proposed development due to the design, layout and appearance would cause detrimental harm to the countryside setting and street scene. The proposal has been found to be contrary to Policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017), the Maldon District Design Guide (2017), and the policies and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Insufficient information (in the form of an arboricultural plan) has been provided with the application to demonstrate that the proposal would not have a detrimental impact on the trees. The proposal conflicts with Policy S1 and D1 of the LDP and the policies and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.

In the absence of a completed legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the necessary financial contribution towards the Essex Coast Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy has not been secured. As a result, the development would have an adverse impact on the European designated nature conservation sites, contrary to Policies S1, D1, N1 and N2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017), and the policies and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.

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