Creating more pre-school places in Brentwood: planning permission secured for nursery expansion in the Green Belt 

Plainview Planning has secured planning permission for a Nursery School in Great Warley to create 25 additional pre-school places by repurposing an existing Nissen Hut into a new classroom. It was a challenging project given its location in the Green Belt and in a local Conservation Area.  Furthermore, concerns were raised during the determination period over highways, parking and impact on local amenity.   

Following a proactive response from the Plainview Planning team to consultee comments, we successfully navigated the scheme to approval. The consent, granted by Brentwood Borough Council, also permits reconfiguration of the main nursery building and the redesign of the North Garden area into an enhanced outdoor play space. The project will enable the thriving nursery to meet significant local demand for early-years places in a sustainable way, while preserving the site’s character. 

A constrained site in the Green Belt and Conservation Area  

The Nursery is situated in Great Warley, a semi-rural area on Brentwood’s outskirts. It occupies a former single-storey farm building that was later converted to nursery use. The nursery’s expansion had to navigate a sensitive planning context: the site is within the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Great Warley Conservation Area, which means strict rules to protect countryside openness and heritage character. The modest Nissen Hut targeted for conversion sits immediately north of the main nursery building, enclosed by other structures on three sides, and had been used for storage. A previous 2018 planning consent had already established that reusing this hut for nursery purposes would not harm the Green Belt’s openness or the Conservation Area’s character. 

Key planning issues: Green Belt, heritage, highways and amenity 

Despite the site’s favourable history, the new application faced potential obstacles. In line with national Green Belt policy, development in the Green Belt is generally considered inappropriate unless it meets specific exceptions, such as re-using an existing permanent building.  This scheme clearly met that exception by focusing on the hut’s conversion.  

The site lies inside the Great Warley Conservation Area and within the setting of NDHAs (Non Designated Heritage Assets).  However, we made clear that as the proposals sought to repurpose an existing building, there was no discernible impact on the CA.  

Even so, initial highways and parking concerns were raised over whether extra capacity might lead to traffic or parking overspill onto neighbouring streets. Similarly, Environmental Health officers queried the potential for increased noise disturbance to neighbours from a busier outdoor play area. Additionally, local policies (such as Brentwood’s education facility policy) required evidence of demonstrable need for more nursery places. 

Turning a potential planning refusal into an approval: the role of a Planning Consultant  

Initially, the application was headed for refusal, but Plainview Planning prepared a comprehensive rebuttal letter addressing each concern and clarifying the planning context. Crucially, we explained that the Nissen Hut’s use as part of the nursery was already lawful under a 2018 planning permission, meaning the current proposal involved no change of use, only operational improvements. To reinforce this, we suggested adjusting the description of development to de-emphasise the word “conversion,” ensuring it was understood as an upgrade of existing nursery facilities rather than a new use.  

Our rebuttal letter also provided additional technical evidence to show that parking provision was sufficient, with the creation of three extra on-site parking bays at the front of the nursery and a small rear parking area. These measures, alongside explaining the nursery’s established staggered drop-off system, convinced the Highways Authority that no adverse traffic impacts would occur. Furthermore, the applicant committed to a robust Noise Management Plan to address any potential increase in sound from the outdoor play space. 

These proactive steps and clear justifications changed the course of the application. The council’s delegated report ultimately found that the scheme “would not be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and would not harm the character [of the area]”. With all consultees satisfied by the additional material and proposed conditions, the planning balance tipped in favour of approval. 

Meeting local demand for childcare in Brentwood  

The project demonstrates how sensitive design and strong planning justification can unlock valuable community benefits. By re-using an existing building rather than constructing a new one, the development aligns with sustainable principles and preserves the openness of the Green Belt. The Nissen Hut will be carefully refurbished with a fabric-first approach, retaining its distinctive corrugated profile and upgrading its insulation and materials to modern performance standards.  

The conversion delivers much-needed additional childcare capacity in a growing area (nearby housing developments have further increased local nursery demand), helping more families access early years education. Children and staff will benefit from an improved learning environment: the new pre-school classroom has direct access to an expanded North Garden play area, which will be enriched with wildflower planting, a mud kitchen, willow domes, and bug hotels for nature-based play. These enhancements not only provide a richer educational experience but also result in biodiversity gains and a greener site overall. 

Planning expertise in the education sector  

We prepared the project’s planning and heritage statement and collaborated closely with the architectural team. Our involvement was instrumental in turning this proposal from near-refusal to approval, showcasing how careful analysis, creative thinking and strong understanding of planning policy can make a measurable difference. The success at this Nursery adds to Plainview’s growing portfolio of education-related projects and highlights our ability to overcome complex planning challenges,  from Green Belt constraints and heritage considerations to highways and amenity issues, in order to deliver positive outcomes. 

Working with Plainview Planning on your development project 

At Plainview Planning, we help landowners, community operators and developers unlock the potential of their sites. We specialise in education and community-led development, small housing schemes and boutique commercial projects, where careful analysis, creative thinking and a strong understanding of planning policy make a measurable difference. 

We are part of the McLoughlin Planning Group, a wider team of chartered town planners providing strategic, commercially minded advice across England and Wales. This collaboration allows us to support projects at every scale, while ensuring clients work with the team best suited to their needs. 

We have a strong track record of securing planning permission for nursery and education projects, even where proposals are complex, constrained or initially unsupported. This includes schemes in the Green Belt, developments affected by heritage considerations, and projects requiring careful navigation of highways, amenity and policy issues. 

If you are starting a development project and want up-to-date guidance on the best approach, contact us via our website contact form, email enquiries@plainview.co.uk or call 01242 501003. Please include your site address and a brief summary of your proposal. 

Content correct at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date advice or to discuss your project, please contact our team directly. 

Image source: Delve Architects 2025