Two Dwellings in Stock, Chelmsford Approved on Appeal

In 2022, I successfully won an appeal against Chelmsford City Council for the demolition of a bungalow and the construction of two large detached dwellings in Stock, Ingatestone.

The Council had refused the application, citing conflict with the Local Plan and the Stock Village Design Statement, which seeks to protect the rural character of the village and prevent spacious plots from being crowded out by large executive housing.

The Planning Issue

The sole planning issue was the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.

I made the case that both dwellings had been carefully designed to reflect and respond to their immediate neighbours.

Plot 1 adopted the gabled roof form of the adjacent house at No. 4, while Plot 2 echoed the crown roof design of No. 8. Both dwellings would observe the established building line and have comparable eaves and ridge heights to their neighbours.

I demonstrated that the approach to massing — keeping the wider sides of the two houses together with only a narrow gap between them — would reduce visual bulk when seen from the street, allowing the two buildings to read as separate dwellings without appearing cramped.

Rear gardens were also of a size broadly reflective of the prevailing plot ratio in the area.

The Inspector agreed that the proposal would be well-proportioned and compatible with its built surroundings and allowed the appeal, finding the development accorded with Policy DM23 and the Framework's requirement for good architecture.

Planning Appeal Advice

If you have a development project and you have received a planning refusal, contact me for practical advice on whether an appeal is the right option and how to proceed.

Andrew Ransome MRTPI Email: andrew@adpltd.co.uk | Tel: 01206 242070

About me

Andrew Ransome is the planning director at ADP and is a chartered member of the RTPI, with over 22 years of town planning experience.

Andrew has extensive experience offering strategic planning solutions to challenging projects in both rural and urban settings. Follow him on Linkedin.

Planning Appeal Successes

Planning Appeal Information