CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after a planning inspector threw out plans for 70 new homes which would ‘erode the character of Halstead’.

Go Homes launched an appeal last year after their plans for Chapel Hill were refused by Braintree Council. 
Last week an inspector backed the council’s decision. 

Braintree Council turned down the original proposals due to fears it would cause “significant damage” to a nearby Grade II listed barn at Crowbridge Farm. 

The inspector found the impact on the Grade II listed barn at Crowbridge Farm would be “significant”. 

The report added: “The proposals as illustrated would erode the rural and agricultural character of this part of Halstead.” 

The inspector said “considerable weight” was attached to the benefit of 70 new homes.

But the report this did not outweigh the harm to the heritage assets.  

It added: “These benefits are further outweighed when the harm to the heritage asset is combined with the harm to the landscape and the overall harm to the character and appearance of the area I have identified.” 

The Hands off Chapel Hill group claimed it as a “victory for common sense”. 

Peter Caulfield, the founder of the group, said: “The planning inspector’s decision to protect that special landscape and dismiss the appeal is brilliant news.

“It is a victory for common sense, a victory for the town and an acknowledgement of the hard work of the Hands Off Chapel Hill group.

“The inspector actually placed a lot of weight on the developer’s arguments but thankfully, decided that protecting the listed barn on the site and the surrounding landscape was more important.”

Mr Caulfield said the group would now turn its attention to fighting other housing bids in the town.

He said: “Now we have a new fight on our hands as an application had been submitted to develop a meadow on Slow Hill.

“It was a protected wildlife site but has now been deselected due to a decline in suitable habitats, however, just because it’s been deselected doesn’t mean there aren’t protected species still using it.

“With several other planning applications being mooted around the town, it feels as if we’re under siege. 

“Something has to be done.”