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 adjacent 23 Rectory Road, North Fambridge

Outline application with all matters reserved for the erection of three dwellings.

2. King Traditional Indian Curries, 136 High Street, Maldon CM9 5BX

Change of use from restaurant (Use Class E(b)) to mixed restaurant (Use Class E(b)) and Sui Generis take away use.

3. Holyrood Lodge, Green Lane, Burnham-On-Crouch CM0 8PU

• London Plane - Crown reduction of 3 metres, Lateral reduction by 2 metres. Removal of deadwood.
• London Plane - Crown reduction by 3 metres, 2m Lateral reduction. Removal of deadwood.
• Horse Chestnut - Crown reduction by 2 metres, Lateral reduction by 1.5 metres
• Lime - Crown reduction by 1.5 metres and lateral reduction by 1 metre.
• Horse Chestnut - Crown reduction by 2 metres. Removal of deadwood.
• London Plane - Crown reduction by 2 metres. Removal of deadwood.

4. 16 Riverside Road Burnham-On-Crouch CM0 8JY

• Buddleia - Height Reduction by 3m.
• Cherry Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus) - Height Reduction by 1m and shape.
• Cheesewood - Height Reduction by 2m and shape.
• Common Lime (Tilia x Europea) - Crown Lift by 1m.
• Damson (Prunus domestica 'Institia' - Crown Reduction by 2m and shape.
• Japanese maple (Acer Palmatum) - Reduction by 0.5m and shape.
• Cordyline - Remove dead wood.
• Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) - to administer pesticide spray to eliminate blackfly that is causing the leaves to curl and turn black. Formative prune by 1 metre.

Applications approved

1. Land at Forrester Park Golf and Tennis Club, Beckingham Road, Great Totham

Installation of a workshop/maintenance building and associated works.

2. Poundstretcher 67 High Street, Maldon CM9 5EP

Conversion of ancillary first floor commercial floorspace (class E) to 2No. residential units (Use Class C3) under Class G, Part 3 Schedule 2, of the GPDO 2015.

3. 37 Fambridge Road Maldon CM9 6AE

Replacement of existing 2.1m high close boarded boundary fence with 2.1m high brick boundary wall.

4. Land at 11 Coombe Road, Southminster

Construction of one new detached three-bedroom dwelling and shed with associated site works.

5. Weetwood, Summerhill, Althorne CM3 6BY

First floor rear extension, extension to existing north side dormer, new dormer to south side elevation and fenestration alterations.

Applications refused

1. The Limes Guest House, 21 Market Hill, Maldon CM9 4PZ

Section 73a application for four CCTV cameras, 10 external lights to main buildings, one external CCTV screen with box surround, two air conditioning units and timber fence surround, fenced bin enclosure, relocation of timber outbuilding and use as an office with external lighting attached, fencing around office with timber decking entrance, timber shed behind existing annex (to be used as refrigerator/store), pergola fixed to boundary wall and neighbouring outbuilding, use of front bedroom as walk-in refrigerator, use of office as a bedroom, internally run air conditioning pipes, installation of an axial flow fan plate, installation of two commercial kitchen flues and removal of an internal kitchen wall.

Reasons for refusal:

1. The development proposed, specifically the pipework associated with the air conditioning units, the timber outbuilding/office, use of the front bedroom as walk-in refrigerator and commercial kitchen flues, by reason of their location and design would/do harm the character and appearance of the listed building, conservation area and the surrounding area, contrary to Policies D1, D3 and H4 of the Local Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.
2. There is insufficient information provided in relation to the air conditioning units, kitchen extraction flues, bin store, refrigerator store and external lighting for the local planning authority to be able to conclude that these elements of the proposed development would not cause harm to the amenity of the occupiers of neighbouring residential properties by reason of noise disturbance and/or nuisance, contrary to Policies D1 and D2 of the approved Maldon District Local Development Plan and the NPPF.

The Limes Guest House recently won a Channel 4 TV competition, with owners taking guests to visit Radio Caroline's Ross Revenge ship.

2. Land Rear Of 148 Station Road, Burnham-On-Crouch

Construction of one single storey dwelling with the formation of new access, parking and amenity spaces.

Reasons for refusal:

1. The proposed development has not considered the context within which it will sit and will introduce a discordant form of development that does not respect the pattern of development found in the immediate area, giving it a cramped and constrained appearance. This is further exacerbated by the large areas of hard standing and lack of landscaping, which dominates the site and would result in material harm by eroding and failing to respond to the more open and spacious character of the area. The proposal is therefore 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 (2023).
2. Future occupants of the site will experience direct overlooking from residential development located to the north at Plots 3 and 4 of approved planning application 20/00375/FUL. Additionally, the proposed development would compromise the outlook of Plots 3 and 4. The distance between the proposed development and the rear garden of no.2 Brickwall Close is also far less than the 25 metres required by the Essex Design Guide and the Maldon District Design Guide (2017). The proposal would therefore cause material harm to the residential amenity of the neighbours to the north and west of the site, and to future occupants of the proposed dwelling. The development is therefore contrary to Policies S1 and D1 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 (2023).
3. In the absence of a satisfactory 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, N1 and N2 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (2023).

3. 36 Park Drive, Maldon CM9 5JQ

Single storey front porch, single storey rear extension and loft conversion with dormer extension. Proposed front boundary wall and dropped kerb.

Reasons for refusal:

1. The proposed rear dormer and rear extension by reason of their location, design and size would appear overly dominant and be visually incongruous additions to the existing dwellinghouse and so would cause harm to the character and appearance of the main dwellinghouse and the surrounding area, contrary to policies D1 and H4 of the approved Local Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.
2. The proposed gate would be positioned less than 6m from the carriageway of Park Drive, a busy through route, and as such would result in vehicles being unable to clear the carriageway whilst waiting for them to open. This would result in an unacceptable degree of hazard to all road users, to the detriment of highway safety, contrary to Policies T1 and T2 of the approved Local Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.
3. The proposed development would encroach onto publicly maintainable highway and so would be an obstruction detrimental to highway safety, contrary to Policies T1 and T2 of the approved Local Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

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