Rural Exception Housing Scheme of 9 Dwellings Approved by Tendring
Planning permission from Tendring District Council for a nine-dwelling rural exception housing scheme outside the settlement boundary in Tendring, Essex, comprising six affordable and three market homes, following a two-stage Permission in Principle and full application process.
PLANNING APPROVALSESSEXTENDRING
Andrew Ransome
7/18/20262 min read
In 2023, Tendring District Council approved full planning permission for a rural exception housing scheme of nine dwellings — six affordable and three market homes — on agricultural land outside a settlement boundary in Tendring, Essex.
The case required a two-stage planning process: a Permission in Principle followed by a full application, with sustained negotiation to overcome both neighbour objections and the challenge of an expanded site boundary.
Rural Exception Sceme Approved in Tendring
I secured full planning permission from Tendring District Council for a nine-dwelling rural exception housing scheme on agricultural land in Tendring, just outside the settlement boundary.
The scheme comprises six affordable homes for people with a local connection and three open market dwellings — a common combination in rural exception schemes where the market homes help cross-subsidise the affordable provision.
Rural exception housing is a specific planning category that allows residential development outside settlement boundaries where it addresses a demonstrable local housing need that cannot be met from within the village.
It is a policy tool designed to deliver affordable housing in rural communities where land values would otherwise make it unviable.
The case followed a two-stage planning process. I had previously obtained a Permission in Principle for the site. Ordinarily, the second stage would have been a Technical Details Consent application. However, the red-lined site area needed to be slightly enlarged from the area approved under the PiP — a change that required a full planning application rather than a TDC.
The application attracted significant objections from local neighbours.
The evidence demonstrating a shortage of affordable housing in the village — and the long-term security of tenure this scheme would provide for local residents — was central to overcoming the objections.
Planning Application Advice
If you have a rural site where affordable housing need can be demonstrated, a rural exception scheme can unlock development that would otherwise be refused. Contact me to discuss your land.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
Planning Approvals in Tendring
Planning Application Information
Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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