Find, save and share Public Notices that affect you in the area.
Search the Public Notice Portal What is the Public Notice Portal?What is the Public Notice Portal?
The Public Notice Portal carries statutory public notices published in local newspapers and is the fastest and most effective way of finding out what is happening in YOUR neighbourhood.
Search the Public Notice PortalA PLAN to build 240 new homes between the M11 and a railway which was refused by the council will go ahead after a successful appeal by the developer.
The plans were rejected by Uttlesford Council in June 2025 on land in Elsenham on a site between the M11 and the railway lines.
Councillors raised concerns over noise when they rejected the plan last summer.
Planning officer Chris Tyler told an Uttlesford Council planning meeting in June last year that noise levels would exceed the guideline limit of 55 decibels in the home’s gardens and that windows would have to remain closed to achieve appropriate sound levels inside.
A previous plan for 220 homes at the site was refused in 2019 and unsuccessful at appeal in 2021, with the planning inspector at the time also raising concerns about noise.
However, during the appeal for the latest plan, planning inspector Richard Aston said that mitigation, such as acoustic fencing, would help make noise levels acceptable under national policy, but did say the development would "not achieve ideal living conditions" for its occupants.
He added the provision of up to 240 homes – with 40 per cent affordable housing – would significantly boost housing supply, especially given that Uttlesford is also the least affordable district in Essex, which was a strong argument in favour of its approval.
He said: "Drawing everything together, the engagement of the presumption in favour of sustainable development recognises that not all schemes will be perfect, an imperfect scheme can be considered as sustainable development for which planning permission can be granted if the adverse impacts do not clear the high bar that the so-called ‘tilted balance’ creates.
"It operates, amongst other things, to support the government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes.
Read more
"Even with mitigation, this is a residential development scheme which would not achieve ideal living conditions for some future occupiers.
"It would be in conflict with the development plan as a whole and result in a range of limited to moderate adverse impacts.
"Balanced against these adverse impacts, however, the positive benefits of the proposal weigh heavily in its favour."
Share