Planning Application Refusal at Wicken Road: A Victory for Local Landscape and Heritage

ONH is proud to have supported Newport Parish Council in preparing a successful formal objection to a significant planning application for up to 90 homes on land north of Wicken Road and west of School Lane (UTT/24/3061/OP). The application, submitted by Gladman Developments Ltd, proposed residential development on open countryside adjacent to the Newport Conservation Area and within the setting of several heritage assets, including the Grade I listed Church of St Mary the Virgin.

Uttlesford District Council refused the application on 8th May 2025, primarily citing landscape and heritage harms. The Planning Committee determined that the scheme would result in a detrimental transformation of the site from rural fringe to urban edge. Key views, including those protected by Policy NQRGSE3 of the made Newport, Quendon & Rickling Neighbourhood Plan, would have been adversely affected.

Moreover, the proposal conflicted with the Plan’s housing policies NQRHA1, NQRHA2, and NQRHA3, which aim to preserve village coherence, protect the connection with the countryside, and resist unsustainable development beyond settlement limits.

ONH led the preparation of the Parish Council’s detailed representation, identifying conflicts with local policy and supporting their position with robust landscape and heritage assessments.

Although the applicant has confirmed their intention to appeal the decision, this refusal represents an important assertion of local planning priorities. As the next stage unfolds, ONH continues to assist the Parish Council with the review of their Neighbourhood Plan, including work on site allocations to meet future housing needs in a locally appropriate way.