Chelmsford City Council wins planning appeal to prevent new warehouse development

An independent planning inspector has rejected plans for a large warehouse development adjacent to junction 17 of the A12, near Howe Green.  

A planning application for 120,000 square metres of logistics and office space was submitted for the site that has not been allocated for development in Chelmsford’s Local Plan, a document that provides a clear framework to help Chelmsford grow in a coordinated, sustainable and fair way.  

At a planning appeal brought by the developer, the Inspector decided that although there were some benefits to the scheme, these were outweighed by the adverse effects to the local landscape, heritage sites and highways.

Risk of “significant harm” to the landscape 

The Inspector agreed with Chelmsford City Council that the development would be contrary to the adopted Local Plan, and that it would result in significant harmful impacts to the landscape. Concerns included the loss of preserved trees and an area of best and most versatile agricultural land, as well as harm to the setting of Sandon Conservation Area. The settings of two Grade II Listed Buildings and three WW2 pill boxes on the site would also have been affected. 

Highway safety and traffic issues 

The Inspector also expressed that unresolved highway safety issues weighed very substantially against the scheme, including plans in the application which would reverse recent safety-led improvements to junction 17. 

Considering the evidence presented at the appeal, the Inspector advised that he could not conclude that the proposals would not have an unacceptable effect on the operation, capacity or safety of the strategic or local highway network. He also noted that he could not conclude that the cumulative effects would not be severe. 

Allowing for strategic planning 

As part of the planning application, the developer suggested that there was an unmet need for regional scale logistics in Chelmsford. However, the Inspector noted he would not pre-empt the council’s strategic planning for logistics, as detailed in the Local Plan, and that this approach could be tested in the upcoming Local Plan Examination. 

Commenting on the decision, Councillor Richard Lee, Cabinet Member for Planning and Place-Shaping, said: 

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“There was a lot of public interest in this application, and this decision is positive news for Chelmsford and underlines why having a robust Local Plan matters. Having a clear Plan helps ensure development is properly managed, directed to the right places, and shaped around the needs and interests of our communities. I am pleased that the Government Inspector agreed with Chelmsford City Council.”

Cllr Richard Lee, Cabinet Member for Planning and Place-Shaping

You can read the appeal decision document in full on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.