Inspector dismisses appeal by Next in its bid to build distribution centre

You might or might not be enjoying the summer heat, but something that should cheer us all is Next’s failure to overturn refusal of planning permission for a proposed distribution centre at Waltham Abbey.
The retailer had appealed against Epping Forest District Council’s verdict against its plans for a five-hectare warehouse, multi-storey car park and photo studio, but planning inspector Grahame Gould dismissed the appeal.
He concluded that the planned centre, at Dowding Way, Waltham Abbey, would have caused “significant harm” to the Green Belt and impacted negatively on the surrounding area’s character appearance.
Mr Gould said in his appeal decision statement: “Overall, I consider that the benefits of the development collectively would not clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm, namely the harm to the character and appearance of the area. I therefore consider that there are not the very special circumstances to justify planning permission being granted…
“Even if the site was not in the Green Belt, I am of view that the harm to the area’s character and appearance would not be outweighed by the development’s benefits and that there would be unacceptable conflict with the parts of the extant Local Plan and the Framework that require new development to be of a good quality, which would warrant the refusal of planning permission.”

To read the inspector’s appeal decision, click here

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