- Decision
- refused, 19 August 2026
- Decided by
- Council planning committee: Basildon Planning Committee (minded-to decision for non-determination appeal; 4-2)
- Authority
- Basildon (East of England)
- Application reference
- 25/01188/OUT
- Procedure
- committee
- Development
- Outline, up to 71 dwellings (50% affordable), SuDS basin, access from London Road
- Homes
- 71
- Site context
- green belt, settlement edge
- Green Belt
- Yes (grey belt rejected)
- Housing land supply
- 2.05 years
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- GB6(2), AnnexB:grey-belt, GB8
- Development plan policies
- Basildon Saved Policies BAS GB1
- Main issues
- grey belt; VSC; Golden Rules outside GB7(1)(g)
Summary
71 homes (50% affordable) on the edge of Wickford. Officers accepted that the site is not grey belt, because it makes a strong contribution to purpose (a), but recommended approval on very special circumstances: a 2.05-year supply, 36 affordable homes, and BNG well above 10%. Members disagreed 4-2 and resolved that they would have refused. The non-determination appeal will now proceed.
Issues and findings
- Grey belt: FAIL (agreed). "as the site represents significantly more than half (61%) of Parcel WI31, and the majority of the undeveloped portion, it can reasonably be concluded that the application site contributes strongly to purpose (a) and would represent urban sprawl" (Report ¶5.3.6).
- Other GB7(1)(g) limbs: PASS. Need, sustainable location and Golden Rules (¶5.3.7–5.3.8). "Although the development would assist in addressing the Borough's demonstrable unmet housing need, and although the proposal satisfies criteria (b), (c) and (d)" it remains inappropriate (¶5.3.10).
- VSC. Officers: "Having regard to the acute housing need within the Borough, the significant affordable housing provision … officers conclude that Very Special Circumstances exist" (¶1.1.6). Members: not shown (Minutes item 4).
Planning balance
GB6(2). Officers put housing, affordable housing, BNG and contributions above substantial Green Belt harm. Members, discussing infrastructure pressure (roads, wastewater, health), did not.
What made the difference
When purpose (a) fails, meeting the other three limbs (including 50% affordable) counts only as benefits in a VSC balance, and members decide how heavily to weigh them. At appeal the inspector will weigh the same factors afresh. The 2.05-year supply and 50% affordable make this one of the stronger appellant cases.
Transferable points
- Meeting limbs (ii)–(iv) of GB7(1)(g) does not help if limb (i) fails. They become VSC benefits only (Report ¶5.3.10).
- Officers assessed grey belt at site level against the strategic parcel: 61% of the parcel, including most of its undeveloped part, took the parcel's "strong" rating (¶5.3.5–5.3.6).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnnexB:grey-belt | fail | officers and members agree — site is 61% of LUC parcel WI31 which makes a strong contribution to purpose (a) re Wickford | |
| GB7(1)(g)(ii) | pass | supply shortfall, persistent under-delivery | |
| GB7(1)(g)(iii) | pass | adjoins Wickford built-up area; London Road bus network; bus improvements | |
| GB8 | pass | 50% affordable, 2.5 ha (51%) public green space, infrastructure — but GB8 compliance cannot cure failure of limb (i) | |
| GB6(2) | fail | substantial | officers found VSC (acute need, 50% AH, BNG well above 10%); members did not |
Key facts
- Non-determination appeal lodged; committee gave its "would have refused" decision
- Officers conceded not grey belt (strong purpose (a)) but recommended approval on VSC
- 36 affordable homes, c.£428k contributions; Golden Rules met
- Supply 2.05 years
Related decisions
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.