Pickles allows 350 Essex homes to be built on Green Belt

Pickles assumed planning control for the development instead of Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation (TTGDC).

The Secretary of State concluded that the development's contribution to housing, affordable housing and the development's proposed strategic open space "clearly" outweighed harm to the Green Belt.  

The Secretary of State acknowledged that housing on the Green Belt would be inappropriate and the harm to the openness of the Green Belt is undesirable, and attached substantial weight to this, the decision letter said.

Despite the harm caused to the Green Belt, the Secretary of State concluded that, "very special circumstances exist to justify development in the Green Belt".

The Council had identified the area where the development site is located as a "broad location for development and removal from the Green Belt", in their Local Development Plan document. Pickles also confirmed that bringing sites forward early is not against the principles of the development plan.

Although the Council's intention was that development would only be permitted on Green Belt land where it had been specifically allocated, and was required to maintain a 5 year land supply, the Secretary of State found that there were other material considerations that outweighed this.

He also noted that development of the area of land now would only be likely to mean that it is developed earlier rather than not at all, and that this reduces the weight to be given to the harm from development.

The development's proposed 350 new homes would help meet a shortfall in the area's five year housing supply, which is a material consideration in favour of the development, the Secretary of State said. Other material considerations in favour of the proposed development include the provision of affordable housing, and the proposed strategic open space, he said.

The material considerations in favour of the proposed development "clearly outweigh harm to the Green Belt and the other harm identified", the Secretary of State concluded.