Developer Cala Homes had lodged an appeal to the planning inspectorate before the council’s decision on the basis of non-determination —effectively when a developer believes a council is inappropriately stalling.
The council has now come up with arguments about why it thinks the plans for 97 homes off Priests Lane between Brentwood town centre and Shenfield are inappropriate.
Concerns around access road issues, density and the development being out of character with the surrounding area and a lack of pedestrian and cycle access were raised during planning meetings and in comments about the plans.
It comes after the same application was deferred at a planning committee meeting in December last year over concerns about the number of homes proposed for the site, which was reportedly 30 per cent higher than that quoted in the Local Development Plan.
Plans are to build 97 homes in a small section of a larger plot off Priests Lane, which only has 75 homes allocated to it by the council.
Cala Homes has argued the council should have made a decision earlier and now wants one made by the inspector.
The council has said it is looking for improvements to be made, but the plans have not been altered since they were first submitted by the developer.
Planning committee member Keith Barber said: “The major issue I have is to do with the number of dwellings on the site.
“I do think the residents will be disappointed to hear that this is almost an academic debate and the determination will be done by an inspector. It has taken away the decision-making of this council and given it to an inspector and I think that is very regrettable.
“You look for improvements and there are none.”
Concerns also arose about parking and links between the development and the wider area. Planning committee members were asked to consider how they would have voted if there had not been a deferral.
The committee unanimously voted to reject the application at the meeting on April 15.
