See below for this week's key planning applications in the Maldon District, received or decided on by the Council.

Applications received

1. Land northwest of 2 Maldon Road, Burnham-On-Crouch

Burnham Waters Limited: Variation of conditions 15 (site access construction),16 (site access layout), 17 (new footpaths) and 31 (approved drawings) on approved planning permission 18/00443/OUT:

• Create retirement community consisting of 103 one, two and three-bedroom bungalows (class C.3), 70-bedroom two-storey care home building (Class C.2) and 55-bedroom two-storey assisted living apartment building (class C.3) including affordable housing.
• Erect ancillary community centre, eight shops (class A.1) with eight key workers' apartments over in two-storey building, two-storey medical centre (GP, dental, optician, and dispensing chemist), and construct single-storey office and maintenance buildings.
• Lay out amenity and sports facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, allotments and open spaces.
• Lay out estate roads, footpaths and surface water drainage infrastructure including swales and detention basin.
• Form vehicular and pedestrian accesses onto B1010 Maldon Road and Tinkers Hole, and create associated hard and soft landscaping) (as amended by 22/00807/NMA) to accommodate amendment to site access

2. Land west of Buller Road and north of Rectory Road, North Fambridge

Outline application with all matters reserved for the demolition of six existing agricultural buildings and the erection of up to 32 dwellings - including the provision of 40% affordable housing.

3. Hall Farm, Hall Road, Southminster CM0 7EH

An application for the change of use of a part of Southminster Hall, to provide a Wedding Ceremony Room.

Also, an application for change of use for the Southminster Hall grounds, to provide wedding venue - to include siting of wedding reception tent and WC facilities, ancillary parking, and the conversion of an outbuilding to ancillary bridal suite accommodation.

Read more about the wedding venue here.

4. Tollesbury Congregational Church, East Street, Tollesbury CM9 8QD

Proposed replacement of two windows in the single-storey part of the existing church.

Applications approved

1. Land north and west of Knowles Farm, Wycke Hill, Maldon

Dartmouth Park Estates Ltd: C3 residential development (up to 320 new homes) of mixed form, size and tenure:

• Small scale employment development (up to 2,000sqm)
• Community uses
• A new relief road to the north of A414
• Strategic landscaping
• Pedestrian and cycle linkages
• Estate roads
• Open space
• Drainage and sewerage (including SUDS) and other associated development

All matters reserved except for access.

2. New Property, Ivy House Hackmans Lane, Purleigh

Variation of condition 2 (approved drawings) on approved planning permission 21/00797/FUL: demolition of the existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey dwelling with attached gym and garage.

Amendment sought: changes to fenestration, new porch and addition of solar panels.

3. Warren Golf Club, Old London Road, Woodham Walter, Maldon CM9 6RW

Demolition of existing storage buildings and construction of replacement barn to be used as a Greenkeepers office, staff room and workshop.

Applications refused

1. Land at 6 Towers Road, Heybridge

Outbuilding for granny annex for family use.

Reasons for refusal:

1. The application fails to demonstrate that the proposal falls within the annexe criteria as detailed within the Specialist Housing Needs SPD including having a functional link with the main dwelling, being designed to be used at a later date as an integral part of the main dwelling and provide adequate parking to meet the needs of those living in the annex and the main dwelling. Therefore, the development is contrary to policies H4 of Maldon District Local Development Plan, the Specialist Housing Needs SPD and guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.
2. The proposed development would result in insufficient, usable provision of on-site car parking, which is likely to result in on-street parking in the vicinity of the site to the detriment of pedestrian and highway safety and the free flow of traffic within the area, contrary to policies D1 and T2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

2. Purleigh Lodge, Lodge Lane, Purleigh CM3 6PP

Demolition of existing dwelling and outbuildings and construction of detached replacement dwelling.

Reasons for refusal:

1. By virtue of the fact that the existing dwelling is not considered to be unworthy of retention, and owing to the height, size, scale, form, massing and proportion of the proposed replacement dwelling, the proposal has been found to be contrary to Policies S1, S8 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017) and the principle of development has been found to be unacceptable.
2. The proposed development has not considered the context within which it will sit and will introduce an incongruous form of development, that results in the urbanisation of the site. This is out of keeping with the site's rural location and will erode the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies S1, S8, H4 and D1 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017), the principles and guidance in the Maldon District Design Guide (2017), and the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).
3. Insufficient information has been submitted with regard to the mitigation of potential harm to Great Crested Newts. Further clarification is required with regard to which licencing approach is to be undertaken, and the details of the licence provided in writing to the Local Planning Authority. In the absence of such details, the proposal is therefore contrary to Policies S1, D1 and N2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017) and the policies and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

3. 14 Southminster Road, Tillingham CM0 7UF

Outline planning permission with the matters of access, appearance, layout and scale for consideration for the erection of 7 dwellings and the retention of the existing dwelling.

Reasons for refusal:

1. The proposed development, by reasons of its unresolved design elements including the inconsistent design approach, inappropriate fenestration hierarchy, and excessive roof height, would result in a form of development of limited architectural merit that would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the locality, contrary to Policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017) and the policies and guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).
2. 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 within the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

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