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

Applications received

1. Mecoy Limited, Barn Wrekin Farm, Burnham Road, Althorne CM3 6DT

An application for permission for food and beverage sales, falling under use class E(a) and E(b) (retail use to remain). Proposed alterations to existing building consisting of recladding elevations and roof, forming new entrance gable features, extension of public accessible retail facilities, car parking and landscaping improvements.

2. Land on Holloway Road, Heybridge

Legal and General Affordable Homes Limited: Modification to a Section 106 Legal Agreement dated 27 April 2017 (executed under planning reference 14/00990/OUT) to amend obligations relating to Shared Ownership properties.

3. Oval Park, Northwest Plot, Hatfield Road, Langford

Maldon Salt Crystal Company Limited: Erection of building for Sui Generis purposes, together with car parking, servicing areas and landscaping.

4. Land at Tillingham Congregational Church, Chapel Lane, Tillingham

Conversion of Tillingham Congregational Church to a single family dwelling including internal and external alterations, air source heat pump, cycle store and alterations to boundary treatment.

Applications approved

1. Maldon Wycke Solar Farm, Hazeleigh Hall Lane, Hazeleigh

Low Carbon Solar Park 1 Limited: The construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic farm and associated infrastructure, including inverters, security cameras, fencing, access tracks and landscaping.

Read more: 36-hectare solar farm proposal approved by District Council

2. Mildmay House, Foundry Lane, Burnham-On-Crouch

Benchmarx David Read - Travis Perkins: Advertisement consent for eight non-illuminated fascia signs.

3. The Anchorage, 13 Downs Road, Maldon

Proposed two bedroom dwelling.

4. Police Station, West Square, Maldon CM9 5PA

Joseph's Tree Solutions: 1 x Large Horse Chestnut - Crown thin by 15-20%, crown lift the canopy up to four metres and a one-metre selective prune, away from the building.

Applications refused

1. Blackberry Cottage, Trusses Road, Bradwell-on-Sea CM0 7QS

Proposed garage and swimming pool room.

Reasons for Refusal:

1. The proposed development would result in the introduction of large domestic outbuildings within the rural area, the use of which would not be incidental to the main dwellinghouse. The poor design, size, scale and location of the proposed development would have an unacceptable visual impact on the site as well as the countryside though the urbanisation of the site and would lead to the encroachment of residential development into the rural area. This would cause unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the rural area contrary to Policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the approved Maldon District Local Development Plan and the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).
2. The applicant has not provided any information which would allow an assessment of the biodiversity impacts of the proposal, and therefore has failed to demonstrate its acceptability in this respect. In the absence of any ecological information, the proposal is considered to conflict with Policies S1, D1, N1 and N2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

2. Spital Farm, Station Road, Tolleshunt D'arcy CM9 8HR

Proposed demolition of agricultural barns and construction of two dwellings.

Reasons for Refusal:

1. The proposed development, by reason of its location, would be disconnected from services and facilities and would provide poor quality and limited access to public transportation, resulting in an increased need of private vehicle ownership. The development would therefore be unsustainable and contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework's "presumption of sustainable development" and policies S1, S8 and T2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan.
2. The introduction of two residential dwellings and associated paraphernalia on the site would represent the inappropriate urbanisation of the site and would have a harmful impact on the rural character of the area, to the detriment of the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. The harm is exacerbated by the visual prominence of proposed dwellings in terms of their height and overall bulk. In addition, concerns in respect to the appearance, design features and form of the dwellings are raised.
3. The proposal is therefore considered to result in demonstrable harm to the character and appearance of the site and locality contrary to policies S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan as well as the principles and guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.
4. The proposed development has the potential to have an unacceptable impact on highway safety. Insufficient information has been submitted to allow the Local Planning Authority to determine that the proposed development would not have a detrimental impact upon highways safety, contrary to policy T2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and Government advice as contained in the National Planning Policy Framework.
5. In the absence of a completed legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, securing a necessary financial contribution towards Essex Coast Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy or an appropriate mitigation strategy to overcome the impacts of the development on the European designated nature conservation sites, the development would have an adverse impact on those European designated nature conservation sites, contrary to Policies S1, N2 and I1 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and the NPPF